Castell Coch
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Overview
Rising out of wooded parklands that are popular with walkers and bikers, Castell Coch is a vast, elegant building with conical towers and a working drawbridge. Castell Coch, meaning ‘red castle’ in Welsh due to the fact it’s built from red sandstone, is the quintessential fairytale castle. It was built during the 19th century, at a time when the Victorians were expressing a great interest in the past, especially in the seemingly idyllic, industry-free Middle Ages. Designed by the architect William Burges for the third Marquess of Bute, it was never intended to be a permanent residence, but more for ‘occasional occupation in the summer’. If the romantic exterior of the castle is impressive, then the interior is even more so — a breathtaking jumble of rich colours and minute attention to detail. There are fabulously decorated ceilings in many rooms, while the intricately painted wall panels are truly astounding. The total effect is the kind of exuberant gaudiness that is indisputably Victorian. There are some clever and quirky details evident in the wall decoration of the drawing room, such as painted ribbons that seem to support the family portraits, and the frog holding a bottle of cough mixture that is obviously meant to soothe the frog that has been placed in its own throat. Although Castell Coch has a dungeon, it was never used except by actors — the castle has proved to be a popular ready-made film set. There are also fantastic views of it to be had from the main road heading west out of Cardiff to Pontypridd.
Features
- Opening Times
- Opening Times: Open daily Jul-Aug, 9.30-6; Mar & Sep-Oct, 9.30-5; Nov-Dec & 27 Jan-Feb, Mon-Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4 (last admission 30mins before closing). Closed 24-26 Dec & 1-26 Jan
- Facilities
- Parking onsite
- Cafe
- Children
About the area
How many cities have both an outstanding castle and a world-class stadium and events arena right in the thick of things? That’s Cardiff – plus great shopping and an array of cool cafés, restaurants and bars. The urban medley creates a modern, buzzing city with a bit of a reputation for its nightlife – come the weekend, this hub of activity is a haven for fun-lovers from the valleys.
Places to eat nearby View all
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Hotel
voco St. David's Cardiff
- Family rooms: 0
- Free TV
- WiFi available
- Lift available
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