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39-694: Roald Dahl Plass is a public space in Cardiff Bay , Cardiff , Wales. It is named after Cardiff-born author Roald Dahl , and is located on the coast along the south of the city centre. The square is home to the Senedd building housing the Senedd , the Welsh parliament, and the Wales Millennium Centre , a performing arts centre. The bowl-like shape of the space has made it a popular amphitheatre for hosting open-air concerts. Formerly named

78-795: A claim to be the largest music and poetry festival in Europe . The main competition events are the Crowning of the Bard and the Chairing of the Bard . The 2018 Eisteddfod was the seventh time it had been held in Cardiff. It was held for the first time in Cardiff in 1883, subsequently in 1899, 1938, 1960, 1978 and 2008. The 2008 Cardiff Eisteddfod was held in Pontcanna Fields, with a traditional fenced ' Maes ' (festival grounds). In August 2015

117-582: A grand boulevard (similar to where Lloyd George Avenue is located now) with high-density commercial and residential units straddling both sides. This would have created significant demand for quality public transport provisions facilitating connections to the new Bay area but public transport was often of poor quality and, but there are now much-improved connections through the Cardiff Bus BayCar service and rail service from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay railway station . On 30 January 2013

156-712: A public meeting was held in Caernarfon to promote the idea of holding the 2021 National Eisteddfod in the town using existing permanent buildings. In May 2019 the Urdd Eisteddfod held its first festival without admission fees, which also took place in Cardiff Bay, with more than 100 stalls. The 2019 National Eisteddfod returned to the usual fenced Maes with daily entrance fees of £20 for visitors. However, Ceredigion's Assembly Member, Elin Jones , announced she

195-568: Is home to the Welsh National Opera . The Norwegian Church Arts Centre , is a rescued historic wooden church that was rebuilt in 1992 and operates as a registered self funded non-profit charity. It is managed by Cardiff Harbour Authority and is as a venue for small concerts, art exhibitions, conferences, meetings and celebrations. When living in Cardiff as a child, famous children's author Roald Dahl attended this church. A refurbished Victorian dockside building houses Craft in

234-579: Is linked to the city centre by Lloyd George Avenue , Bute Street and the Central Link Road . The Pont y Werin pedestrian and cycle bridge opened in July 2010, completing a six and a half-mile circular route around Cardiff Bay and Penarth. A cycle hire system, similar to those in other large cities, launched in September 2009, and includes 70 bikes and 35 hire points (initially seven) around

273-618: Is the Norwegian cognate of the English word "place"; in this context the word means square . The area originally comprised wetlands owned by John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute . He was persuaded to finance construction of the dock on his land at a cost of over £  350,000. The dock opened under the name "West Bute Dock" on 8 October 1839, and was over 1400 yards (1280 m) long and 200 feet (60 m) wide, allowing 300 vessels to berth at any time. The dock

312-566: The Oval Basin and known as the Bowl , the area was one of the docks for a thriving coal port during the latter half the 19th century and much of the 20th century. Following World War II , the space entered a period of decay and dereliction until the 1980s, when the Cardiff Bay area was regenerated. The name acknowledges the writer's roots (both of Dahl's parents were from Norway ) and the Norwegian seafarers' church which stands nearby. "Plass"

351-509: The Senedd building (housing the Senedd , the Welsh Parliament), Pierhead Building and Tŷ Hywel ; and cultural attractions including the Wales Millennium Centre and Norwegian Church . The presence of devolved institutions in Cardiff Bay has led to its name's use as a metonym for devolved Welsh politics. According to Cardiff Council , the creation of Cardiff Bay is regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in

390-489: The Third Marquis of Bute , who owned the docks, become the richest man in the world at the time. As Cardiff exports grew, so did its population; dockworkers and sailors from across the world settled in neighbourhoods close to the docks, known as Tiger Bay, and communities from up to 50 different nationalities, including Norwegian , Somali , Yemeni , Greek , Spanish , Italian , Caribbean and Irish helped create

429-624: The mudflats at the mouths of the River Taff and River Ely were inundated, with loss of habitat for wading birds . The Barrage has created several new habitats for freshwater species with the wetlands to the south of the Hamadryad Park. When the Development Corporation was wound up in on 31 March 2000, it had achieved many of its objectives. The whole area was unrecognisable from ten years before. Much private land

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468-647: The Bay , the home of the Makers Guild in Wales. Techniquest is an educational science & discovery centre, which also includes a science theatre and planetarium. Roald Dahl Plass is a large open amphitheatre style plaza frequently used as a venue for carnivals and festivals all year round. Mermaid Quay comprises a mix of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops and services located on the waterfront. Dismantled in 2010, this unique building "single-handedly put Cardiff on

507-582: The Bay . Camping was available further afield, with 338 camping places for families at Pontcanna Fields and the 'Maes B' campsite (for younger revellers) at Fitzalan High School in Leckwith . In November it was announced that the Cardiff Eisteddfod had made an overall loss of £290,000. This was largely because of additional security requirements of the open event. The festival cost £4 million to stage. An estimated 500,000 visitors had attended

546-572: The Bay area, such as the Wales Millennium Centre , would be used. The plan was designed to avoid rent and reparation costs, possibly of up to £500,000, needed to site the Eisteddfod again in one of the public parks. The target of £320,000 fundraising had been met a month before the Eisteddfod was due to start. The main event locations of the Maes were sited around Roald Dahl Plass and the marina of Cardiff Bay. The Wales Millennium Centre became

585-481: The Eisteddfod's chief executive, Elfed Roberts, announced he was in discussions with Cardiff Council about the idea of holding the 2018 event in permanent buildings in Cardiff city centre , rather than the traditional Maes . In April 2016 the Eisteddfod backed the plans, as a one-year experiment to attract more visitors, though the event would be held in Cardiff Bay rather than the city centre. Existing buildings in

624-527: The Eisteddfod, three times more than the 2017 event. Prior to 2018, the National Eisteddfod had made a profit every year since 2012, with a £93,000 surplus in 2017 despite the Anglesey festival almost being cancelled by the weather. The Eisteddfod council said that more public money would be needed to fund the tourism aspect and make similar open events viable in the future. In October 2018,

663-634: The Plass is home to a rift that the Doctor uses to refuel his TARDIS. The Doctor Who episode " The Runaway Bride " made use of office buildings in Cardiff Bay. Cardiff Bay railway station is northeast of Mermaid Quay and is served by shuttle services to Cardiff Queen Street railway station . Cardiff Bus operates the following services to the bay: The bay lies off the A4232 before the Butetown tunnels and

702-715: The Senedd also became the Societies Pavillions. 'Maes B', traditionally the pop and rock music event, was held in the vacant Doctor Who Experience building 'Caffi Maes B', 'Ty Gwerin' (folk music) and 'Sinemaes' (the cinema) were held in large tents nearby. The Welsh College of Music and Drama held concerts of harp , piano and woodwind music in the Norwegian Church . Coronau , an exhibition of previous National Eisteddfod crowns, took place in Craft in

741-801: The United Kingdom. The bay was formerly tidal, with access to the sea limited to a couple of hours each side of high water but now provides 24-hour access through three locks. The Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve is situated along the northern edge of the lake, on the site of a former salt marsh . On 15 June 1910 the Terra Nova Expedition left the Roath Basin in Cardiff's docklands and headed south to Antarctica. On board were Captain Robert Falcon Scott and members of his British Antarctic Expedition, who aimed to be

780-543: The Water Tower's prominence in the series, it is sometimes referred to as the "Torchwood Tower", with postcards having been published using that name. Roald Dahl Plass is often used to host concerts and other cultural events, such as the Cardiff Food Festival. In August 2018 it was central to the 'no fence' National Eisteddfod , with stalls and an open-air music stage. The Gorsedd Ceremony took place in

819-560: The Water Tower, has featured prominently in the BBC television drama Doctor Who and its spin-off, Torchwood . Roald Dahl Plass' first appearance is in the episode " Boom Town ". In the show's universe, a "spatial-temporal" rift runs through Cardiff, a feature that the Ninth Doctor uses as a fueling station for his TARDIS . In Torchwood , the fictional Torchwood Institute has one of its headquarters, Torchwood Three , based under

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858-463: The architectural map", housing exhibitions and visitor information. Cardiff Bay was used as the high-tech urban setting for the Doctor Who episode " Boom Town " and the show's spinoff, Torchwood , whose makers deliberately avoided stereotypical portrayals of Wales in order to portray Cardiff as the modern urban centre it is today. In Torchwood series, there is a giant secret base underneath

897-411: The area in the 1990s. Surrounding the lake is a 4.25 sq mi (11.0 square kilometres) area of redeveloped former derelict docklands which shares its name. The area is situated between Cardiff city centre and Penarth , in the communities of Butetown and Grangetown . Its waterfront is home to notable attractions, in particular regarding Welsh politics and devolved institutions , such as

936-425: The area, serving a new Cardiff Bay, Roath Lock & Porth Tiegr. 2018 Cardiff National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales has been held every year (with the exception of 1914, 2020 and 2021) since 1861. It is hosted by a different region of Wales each year. Since 1950 all competitions have been held in Welsh. Around 6,000 competitions are held, in poetry, music, dance, drama and literature, giving it

975-534: The bay, named "The Hub", from where the Torchwood team works. There is also a lift from the hub into the plaza with a perception filter making anyone who stands on the spot "not noticed". In the third series of Torchwood entitled "Children Of Earth", Cardiff Bay was the centre of a bomb explosion, destroying the Torchwood Hub and Cardiff Bay. Roald Dahl Plass features prominently. In the episode " Utopia ",

1014-478: The centre and the south of the city. The current stations are: Central Station; Cardiff Bay Station; County Hall; Cardiff Bay Visitors’ Centre; Churchill Way; City Hall and eastern Queen Street. It is necessary to register before using bike. The first half an hour is free after which a small hourly fee is payable. Under the South Wales Metro Scheme, 3 new metro stations are due to be built in

1053-537: The first to reach the South Pole. Scott's entire party of five died on the return journey from the pole. Cardiff Bay played a major part in Cardiff ’s development by being the means of exporting coal from the South Wales Valleys to the rest of the world, helping to power the industrial age. The coal mining industry helped fund the building of Cardiff into the capital city of Wales and helped

1092-609: The main 'Pavilion' and 'Y Babell Lên' (Literature Pavilion), with daily tickets available for £10. The Pierhead Building hosted an 80th anniversary art exhibition by the Contemporary Art Society for Wales. It also performed the role of 'Maes D' (the Learners Area), in 2018 called 'Shw'mae Caerdydd'. The Senedd building hosted ' Y Lle Celf ' (English: The Art Place ) with exhibitions of Wales' best contemporary art, craft and design. The meeting rooms of

1131-419: The most controversial building projects of the day but also one of the most successful. The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) was created in 1987 to stimulate the redevelopment of 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) of derelict land. The Development Corporation aimed to attract private capital by spending public money to improve the area. Despite opposition by environmentalists and wildlife organisations,

1170-500: The planning consultant, Adrian Jones, stated that Cardiff Bay was a contender for the "worst example of waterside regeneration in Britain". The St David's Hotel & Spa is a 5-star luxury hotel with commanding views of the bay and Penarth. Built by Rocco Forte in 2000, the hotel was sold in 2007, to Principal-Haley hotels. The Pierhead was built in 1897 and designed by William Frame , who studied under William Burges It

1209-599: The square on the Monday and the Friday. 51°27′50.14″N 3°9′51.11″W  /  51.4639278°N 3.1641972°W  / 51.4639278; -3.1641972 Cardiff Bay Cardiff Bay ( Welsh : Bae Caerdydd ; colloquially " The Bay ") is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff , Wales . The site of a former tidal bay and estuary , it is the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely . The body of water

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1248-475: The square, to monitor alien activity through the rift. The base of the fountain can be seen passing through the building, and one of the paving tiles in the square is a decoy which hides an "invisible lift" leading down to the base. This base was effectively destroyed in Torchwood: Children of Earth but Roald Dahl Plass was seen briefly at the end of the first episode of Miracle Day . Due to

1287-553: The unique multicultural character of the area. After the Second World War most of the industry closed down and the area became a neglected part of Cardiff, a wasteland of derelict docks and mudflats. Social exclusion of the area's inhabitants rose and Cardiff Bay had above average levels of unemployment. But, in 1999, new life was injected into the area by the building of the Cardiff Bay Barrage , one of

1326-445: Was a central part of Cardiff's bid for European Capital of Culture status for 2008, although it ultimately lost the bid to Liverpool . At the north end of the plass is the Water Tower, which is approximately 70 feet (21 m) high with an intermittent stream of water running down the metallic fountain. The tower was also designed by Nicholas Hare Architects in conjunction with the sculptor, William Pye. Roald Dahl Plass, especially

1365-477: Was converted into a 500-acre (2.0 km ) lake as part of a pre-devolution UK Government regeneration project, involving the damming of the rivers by the Cardiff Bay Barrage in 1999. The barrage impounds the rivers from the Severn Estuary , providing flood defence and the creation of a permanent non-tidal high water lake with limited access to the sea, serving as a core feature of the redevelopment of

1404-473: Was filled in to prevent collapse of the surrounding walls. The Oval Basin was designed by the artist William Pye in conjunction with Nicholas Hare Architects, and opened in April 2000. A plaque was unveiled on 13 July 2002 to commemorate its renaming to Roald Dahl Plass. Roald Dahl Plass is today an oval-shaped open space surrounded by illuminated pillars and gravel covering over the original dock area. The Plass

1443-626: Was formerly the headquarters of the Bute Dock Company , later the Cardiff Railway Company, and then the head office for the Great Western Railway . Today it is part of the Senedd estate and is used as an event and conference venue, it is also a Grade I listed building . The Senedd building is the building that hosts the Senedd 's debating chamber and committee rooms. The Wales Millennium Centre

1482-488: Was joined by four others: East Bute Dock, Roath Basin, Roath Dock and Queen Alexandra Dock. Cardiff became the largest exporter of coal in the world; in 1913, the city exported 10,700,000 tonnes of coal. However, the Great Depression , Second World War and cheap foreign competition all caused great damage to the Welsh coal mining industry, with the last coal export through the dock taking place in 1964. The dock

1521-430: Was now open to the public, particularly around the inner harbour and the north side of Roath basin. Work is progressing to complete a 13 kilometre walkway around the bay. In addition, the development has enabled land in the city centre to be redeveloped for higher-value uses. Connecting the bay area to the centre of Cardiff was a primary goal when plans to develop the docklands were first mooted. Original plans included

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