|
 | Brussels
Brussels is more than a 1000 years old.
Today the name Brussels stands for an agglomeration of 19 communes forming one of the three Regions of the federal Belgian state; the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium; the headquarters of the French and Flemish Communities.
Brussels also has an important international vocation : as the European capital the city is home to the European Commission and to the Council of ministers of the European Union (EU).
Brussels is the bilingual capital of Belgium. This means that both French and Dutch are the official languages of the city. Street names and traffic sings are always in these two languages. Furthermore, it is a cosmo- | politan city where many different cultures live together and where different languages can be heard on each street. This liveliness and international flair is, of course, intimately related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe.
The same variety and contrast can also be found in the different architectural styles that can be found in Brussels, the former capital of the medieval Duchy of Brabant. Gothic cathedrals and churches are next to - and sometimes in stark contrast with - gracious classical facades like the buildings around the Royal Square (Place Royale - Koningsplein), or beautiful art nouveau and art deco houses.
The heart of Brussels and the place to start getting to know the city is the Grand'Place (Grote Markt). This historic market square with its splendid guild houses and the impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall, is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe.
History
Saint Michael and Gudula's CathedralIn 977 AD, the German emperor Otto II gave the duchy of Lower Lotharingia on the empire's western frontier to Charles, the banished son of King Louis IV of France. Mention was already made of Brussels at the time: Bishop Saint-Gery of Cambrai-Arras settled a chapel on a small island (695). A century later Saint Vindicianus, also a monk of Cambrai-Arras, lived on that island. However, the founding of Brussels is usually said to be when a small castle was built by Charles around 979 on Saint-Géry island in the Zenne or Senne river. The donation by Emperor Otto II the Great is recorded. Duke Charles had a shrine built for the relics of Saint Gudula in the Saint Gery chapel.
In 1041 the county of Brussels was taken over by Lambert I of Leuven one of the Counts of Leuven (Leuven), who ruled the surrounding county, later the duchy of Brabant. Under Lambert II of Leuven, a new castrum and the first city walls were built. In the 12th century the small town became an important stop on the trade route from Brugge and Ghent to Cologne. The village benefited from this favourable position and, as it grew to a population of around 30,000, the surrounding marshes were drained to allow for further expansion. The Counts of Leuven became Dukes of Brabant at about this time (1183/1184).
From 1357 to 1379, a new city wall was constructed as the former one was already proving to be too small: the inner ring or 'pentagon' now follows its course.
In the 15th century, by means of the wedding of heiress Margaret III of Flanders with Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, a new Duke of Brabant emerged from the House of Valois (namely Antoine, their son), with another line of descent from the Habsburgs (Maximilian of Austria, later Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, married Mary of Burgundy, who was born in Brussels).
Brabant had lost its independence, but Brussels became the Princely Capital of the prosperous Low Countries, and flourished.
Charles V, heir of the Low Countries since 1506, though (as he was only 6 years old) governed by his aunt Margaret of Austria until 1515, was declared King of the unified Spain, in 1516, in the Cathedral of Saint Gudule in Brussels. Upon the death of his grandfather, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1519, Charles became also the new archduke of the Austrian Empire and thus the Holy Roman Emperor of the Empire "in which the sun does not set". It was in the Palace complex at the Brussels' Coudenberg, that Charles V abdicated in 1555. This impressive palace, famous all over Europe, had expanded a lot since it was first the seat of the dukes of Brabant, but was sadly destroyed in 1731 in a huge fire (all that now remains is an archaeological site).
In 1695 Brussels was attacked by general Villeroy of King Louis XIV of France. A bombardment destroyed the city's heart: more than 4,000 houses were set on fire, including the medieval buildings on the Grote Markt or Grand Place.
In 1830, the Belgian revolution took place in Brussels after a performance of Auber's opera La Muette de Portici at De Munt or La Monnaie theatre. On July 21, 1831, Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, ascended the throne, undertaking the destruction of the city walls and the construction of many buildings. Under Léopold II, the city underwent many more changes: the Zenne was culverted (as it brought diseases), the North-South Junction was built, and the Tervuren Avenue was laid out.
From May 10, 1940, Brussels was bombed by the German army however most of the damage was done in 1944-1945. The Heysel Stadium disaster took place in Brussels on May 29, 1985. The Brussels Capital Region was founded on June 18, 1989.
Brussels is famous for celebrating it's history, as well as history in general. This is most evident in the fact that Brussels has well over 100 museums.
Brussels As Capital Of Belgium
Although some misbelieve that the capital of Belgium is Brussels at large, according to the Belgian Constitution (Art. 194) the capital of Belgium is the City of Brussels municipality. Arguments that the use of lower case in "ville" and "stad" in Article 194 for "ville de Bruxelles" (French), "stad Brussel" (Dutch) makes a subtle difference and means that Brussels at large is the capital cannot be defended on a legal basis. However, although the City of Brussels is the official capital, the by the federation and region delegated funds for the representative role of the capital are divided among the 19 municipalities and in practice, national Belgian institutions are indeed not only located in the City of Brussels, although many are, but also in most of the other 18 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital region. Meaning that de facto the entire Region serves as capital, but de jure only the City of Brussels is entitled to the title of capital city of Belgium.
Linguistic Situation
Brussels Capital Region is officially bilingual French-Dutch, although French, mother tongue of about 85 percent of the population, is the lingua franca and is most widely used.
For most centuries of its history, Dutch, (Brabantian variant) , or more precisely the linguistic predecessor of it, was the common vernacular. French was only used by upper classes. Research in the city's archives indicates that Dutch was by far the most widely used of the two as a vernacular and in its local administration, until the French occupation in 1793, even though French had been the language of the governors since the Burgundian era.
During the 19th and the 20th century, Belgium was completely dominated by the French-speaking bourgeoisie. Although the majority (about 60%) of the Belgian population spoke Dutch, it was French that became the official language. Civil administration, justice, education and even socio-economic business were for a long time conducted in French, even in the Dutch-speaking areas of the country. Brussels, naturally, attracted far more French-speaking immigrants than any other part of the country since it was there that the apparatus of the central government of the French-only speaking state was installed. In the capital Brussels, it was even more obvious that French rather than Dutch was the language of chances and prestige and more useful, as higher education and the better jobs all required French. Moreover, the Belgian state (founded in 1830) recognised Dutch, the language of the majority of its population, as an official language only in 1878.
Nowadays, the Brussels Capital Region is officially bilingual French-Dutch, although French is the lingua franca and is most widely used. According to a 2001 study by Rudi Janssens, a sociolinguist at the VUB, 80% of the population are more or less native French-speakers, 8.5% are native Dutch-speakers and 10.2% have both Dutch and French as a mother tongue (often mixed-language parents). Allophones, who speak neither Dutch nor French at home, are a small but growing segment of the population. One third of Brussels' inhabitants has a foreign origin and does not have Belgian nationality. Since Brussels is completely surrounded by Flemish territory, the number of Dutch speakers is quite large during working hours and in cultural consumption time. In a survey conducted by the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-La-Neuve and published in June 2006, 51% of respondents from Brussels claimed to be bilingual.
It should be noted that due to the growth of the city of Brussels, the periphery, which is institutionally part of Dutch-speaking Flanders, attracts an important French-speaking population. In some of the municipalities immediately bordering the Brussels Capital Region, the majority of the population has become French-speaking, in a few cases numbering over 70%. The often minimal knowledge of Dutch of some French speakers and the perceived unwillingness of some to learn Dutch, although they live in Flanders, along with the increasingly nationalistic agenda of most flemish politicians and the growing popularity of the far-right Vlaams Belang, have led to friction between the two communities. One way of quickly identifying whether you are in Brussels or in Flanders is by looking at the colors on the pilars of the traffic lights: they are red and white in Brussels, and yellow and black in Flanders.
A curiosity is the "Marollien" dialect, heavily influenced by Walloon which used to be spoken mostly in a central section of the city. Today, the Brussels dialects are on the verge of extinction, although some try to revive them.
Contributed By : Kat (Razor Heretic) |
|
|
 | ◊Berlin◊
Berlin is the capital and the biggest city of Germany. Among the famous buildings there are the Siegessäule, the Brandenburger Tor, the Reichstag and the boulevard Unter den Linden. On the boulevard are the Humboldt University and the State Opera of Berlin. The mayor of the city is Klaus Wowereit (SPD).
It has a population of about 3.5 million and extends over 889 square kilometers. It is located in central Europe, longitude 13:25 E, latitude 52:32 N, 34 m above sea level, at the rivers Spree and Havel. The local time zone is Central European Time (MEZ or MET, one hour in advance of GMT, i.e., MEZ = GMT+1) with daylight savings time in the summer (MESZ = GMT=2) Berlin is a simply amazing city that is full of beauty, mystery, and history. | ◊Introduction◊
Fifteen years since the Wall fell, and Berlin can still feel like two cities – not just east and west, but also winter and summer. Plus, if your mental image of the German capital derives from war films or spy stories, prepare to be pleasantly surprised by one of the greenest cities in Europe. This thoroughly modern metropolis has always been a bit of a bolthole for the bohemian and unconventional, but today it is a major cultural centre combining top-flight museums, galleries and concert halls with thriving alternative art and music scenes. The nightlife carries on through morning, the gay scene is simply shameless and there’s every kind of eating to be had.
◊Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg & Friedrichshain◊
Most unmissable sights are in and around central Mitte. The east–west axis of Unter den Linden is a good place to start. Frequent buses (Nos.100 and 200) run the length of the tree-flanked boulevard, linking it with Bahnhof Zoo in the west. The western end is marked by the iconic Brandenburg Gate, once closed off between East and West Berlin, which leads on to the huge Tiergarten park. North-west of the Gate is the new government quarter and the revamped Reichstag, crowned by Norman Foster’s magnificent glass cupola (Platz der Republik, 2273 2152, www.bundestag.de). Trips to the top are free, and the view is magnificent, but expect to queue. To the south side of the Brandenburg Gate is the recently completed Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The controversial design by Peter Eisenmann has 2,700 columns of varying heights in an undulating space the size of a city block.
South of Unter den Linden is the pleasant Gendarmenmarkt square, topped and tailed by the German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom, 2273 0431) and the French Cathedral (Französischer Dom, 229 1760). At the eastern end of Unter den Linden is Museum Island (Museuminsel), a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose clutch of superb collections includes the Pergamonmuseum (Am Kupfergraben, 2090 5577, www.museen-berlin.de), incorporating the Babylonian Gate of Ishtar. The majestically porticoed Altes Museum (Lustgarten, 2090 5201, www.museen-berlin.de) and the 19th-century art at the Alte Nationalgalerie (Bodestrasse 1-3, 2090 5801, www.museen-berlin.de) are also worthwhile. The other landmarks in the area are the Berliner Dom (2026 9128, www.berliner-dom.de) and the filletted remains of the Palast der Republik (www.pdr.kultur-netz.de), now a huge and eccentric exhibition space. The nearby Deutsches Historisches Museum (Zeughaus, Unter den Linden 2, 203 040, www.dhm.de, closed Wed) has a swanky new wing by IM Pei.
Eastwards is the communist-era concrete expanse of Alexanderplatz, and the landmark ball-and-spike TV Tower (Fernsehturm, 242 3333, www.berlinerfernsehturm.de), with a revolving observation deck; south are the reconstructed medieval Nikolaiviertel, and remnants of the original medieval wall.
North of Alexanderplatz, the renovated Scheunenviertel (‘Barn Quarter’) is packed with galleries, bars and shops. Its focal point is the Hackesche Höfe, a warren of Jugendstil (art nouveau) courtyards full of boutiques and cafés. Nearby Auguststrasse is the art scene’s main drag, while the revived Jewish Quarter centres on the Neue Synagoge (New Synagogue, Oranienburger Strasse 28-30, 8802 8316, www.cjudaicum.de).
Prenzlauer Berg has gentrified rapidly and, though containing few specific sights, is a relaxed area for a meal or a drink. Friedrichshain has a more communist and post-industrial feel. The lively, youthful nightlife scene around Muhlenstrasse and Simon-Dach-Strasse contrasts with the eerily wide main drag, Karl-Marx-Allee, which is a treat for fans of Stalinist architecture.
◊Kreuzberg & Schöneberg◊
Once the heart of nonconformist Berlin, Kreuzberg remains fascinatingly diverse. Its northern part has a few interesting museums, such as the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (Trebbiner Strasse 9, 902 540, www.dtmb.de) and the privately owned exhibit about the Wall at the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie (Friedrichstrasse 43-45, 2537 250, www.mauer-museum.com). No one should miss the Jewish Museum (Lindenstrasse 9-14, 2599 3300, www.jmberlin.de), where the exhibition is almost upstaged by Daniel Libeskind’s remarkable deconstructivist building.
Neighbouring Schöneberg offers great bars in its northern reaches, also the hub of Berlin’s gay scene.
◊Tiergarten◊
Tiergarten is dominated by the huge park of the same name. Along its southern fringe is a collection of excellent museums, of which the best are the traditional Gemäldegalerie (Matthaikirchplatz 8, 266 2951, www.museen-berlin.de); the more contemporary, Mies Van der Rohe-designed Neue Nationalgalerie (Potsdamer Strasse 50, 266 2651, www.museen-berlin.de); and the Filmmuseum Berlin (Potsdamer Strasse 2, 300 9030, www.filmmuseum-berlin.de). The latter is located within the huge new complex at Potsdamer Platz – former no-man’s land reshaped as the city’s unifying commercial centrepiece. Opinions differ as to the success of the architecture, despite work from IM Pei, Helmut Jahn, Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. At the opposite corner of Tiergarten is the city’s beautifully landscaped Zoo and Aquarium (Hardenbergplatz 8, 254 010).
◊Other Districts◊
To the south-west lie the Dahlem museum complex, the vast Grunewald woods and the watery pleasures of the Wannsee and assorted smaller lakes – Strandbad Wannsee is Europe’s largest inland beach. Heading south-east, you can drink in the villagey charms of Köpenick, or the products of the Berliner Burgerbräu brewery at Friedrichshagen, which throws open its gates for an annual summer beer festival. Boat trips can be had on the nearby Muggelsee.
◊Historical Note◊
Berlin was the capital of Prussia until 1945 and the capital of Germany between 1871 and 1945 and again since the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990. (The German parliament, called Bundestag, and the German government moved from Bonn to Berlin in 1999.) Between 1949 and 1990, it was divided into East Berlin, the capital of the German Democratic Republic, and West Berlin. It was divided by the Berlin Wall between August 13, 1961, and December 9, 1989.
◊Sights◊
Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate, built 1788-1791 by C. G. Langhans, with Schadow's quadriga on its top), the place Gendarmenmarkt with Deutschem and Französischem Dom (German and French cathedral) and Konzerthaus ("Schauspielhaus", concert hall), the historic Nikolaiviertel (Nikolai quarter) with the oldest church of Berlin, the Nikolai-Kirche, the Deutsche Staatsoper (opera house) Unter den Linden, the Pergamon museum, the Zeughaus, the Siegessäule (Victory Column, 69 m), the Funkturm ("Langer Lulatsch", radio tower, 150 m) and the Fernsehturm (TV tower, 368 m, at Alexanderplatz), the Reichstagsgebäude (house of parliament, built 1884-1894 by P. Wallot), Schloß Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Castle) and Schloß Bellevue (Bellevue Castle, seat of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany), Kongreßhalle (congress hall, now called "Haus der Kulturen der Welt"), ICC (International Congress Center), the ruin and the new church Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, the Olympia stadium (from 1936).
◊Universities in Berlin◊
Berlin has three big universities:
Freie Universität Berlin
Technische Universität Berlin
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
◊Top Attractions in Berlin◊
◊The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor)◊
The Brandenburg gate is the unquestionable symbol of Berlin and is now regarded as one of the greatest symbols of German unity. It is the last remaining gate of the Berlin Wall and marks the western end of the famous Unter den Linden Boulevard. The statue on top of the arch represents Nike driving her chariot to victory towards the West.
◊Museum Island (Museumsinsel)◊
The Berlin Museumsinsel is a unique ensemble of museum buildings that illustrate the evolution of modern museum design over more than a century. The museums include The National Gallery, The Old Museum (Altes Museum), The Pergamon Museum and The Bode Museum.
The National Galerie is an ultra-modern building built in the 1960s. The museum collection specialises in works from the 19th and 20th centuries as well as international contemporary art. The National Galerie is famous for its collection of French impressionists.
The Old Museum houses an amazing collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century paintings and statues. Any prominent artist you can think of is probably featured here.
The Pergamon Museum is immense. It is divided into five sections: the Antiquities Collection, the Middle East Museum, the Islamic Museum, the Far East Collection, and the Museum of Popular Art. A few days is needed to properly explore it.
The Bode Museum's original collection of Egyptian artifacts was very badly affected by World War II. However, there are outstanding exhibits of Byzantine and early Christian relics on show.
◊The Tiergarten◊
The Tiergarten is often referred to as Berlin’s green heart. Originally a hunting reserve for royalty, landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenne turned the Tiergarten into a beautiful city park in 1742. During World War II many of the trees were cut for firewood and the pristine lawns were turned into vegetable gardens to feed the populace of Berlin. Heavy bombing then damaged much of the rest of the park. The present-day plantings took place just after the war and today the beautifully lush Tiergarten is a popular place with Berliners and, to the surprise of many tourists, nude sunbathing is permitted throughout the park. The park is over 412-acres and it stretches for 1.75 miles west from the Brandenburg Gate.
◊The Berlin Wall◊
If you want to see what remains of the infamous Berlin Wall head down Charlottenstrasse and then west along Leipzigerstrasse. There you can see one of the best examples of what remains of the Wall.
◊The Berlin Radio Tower◊
The Berlin Radio Tower was built in 1924 for the Third German Broadcasting Exhibition. Standing at 138-meters high, this steel-latticed tower is a fantastic viewing point with panoramic bird’s-eye views of the city. An elevator takes you to the observation deck at 125 meters to admire the vista. There is a restaurant at the 55-meter level.
◊The Berlin Zoo & Aquarium◊
The Berlin zoo was founded in 1841. It is the largest zoo in the world with over 74-acres and some 13,000 species of animal. Today, the zoo participates in many successful programs for the breeding and preservation of endangered species. Its history, which spans more than 150 years, is reflected in the buildings, which echo the folklore and exotic reproductions of past eras. Don’t miss the Elephant Gate, a magnificent oriental gate with elephant sculptures. It was constructed in 1899 on the initiative of the former zoo director, Ludwig Heck, and restored to its former beauty in the 1980s. Just beside the zoo is the Berlin Aquarium, which also has the largest and most comprehensive collection of aquatic animals in the world. There are more than 250 tanks displaying an amazing variety of fish. The reptiles, amphibians and the insectarium are definitely worth a peek.
◊The Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg)◊
The Charlottenburg Palace is the oldest surviving Prussian palace in Germany. Building began in 1695 and was completed in 1790. There are 70 rooms and corridors crammed full of ornate furnishings and Watteau paintings. The east wing houses an incredible collection of romanticist paintings while the west wing houses a collection of ancient and prehistoric art and artifacts. Take a guided tour of the royal apartments and then stroll through the formal gardens that surround the palace.
◊The Reichstag◊
The Reichstag, built in 1884-94, has witnessed many of the key moments in 20th century German history. It has seen the Proclamation of the German Republic in 1918, endured a burning in 1933, a storming in 1945 by Russian troops and German Reunification in 1990. Since its renovation in 1999, it has housed the Bundestag (Parliament).
◊Soviet War Memorial (Treptower Park)◊
Treptower Park houses a very sobering monument to the Soviet soldiers who died fighting Hitler. The park also contains a mass grave for the 5,000 soldiers killed in action. Walk the tree-lined avenue to see a statue of Mother Russia crying for her dead children. There are huge white stone reliefs set up in a manner not unlike the Stations of the Cross. They bear quotations from Stalin and depict how the Soviets won out against Fascism. At the far end of the park there is a massive statue of a heroic Soviet soldier clutching a child in one arm and smashing a swastika with the other.
◊The Jewish Quarter◊
The Scheunenviertel (Stable Quarter) is both Berlin's newest hot spot and one of its oldest areas. It was originally founded in the 17th century outside the medieval city walls. It survived Allied bombing raids and the Red Army's assault on the city. Recently, the quarter’s old buildings are being reincarnated as trendy bars, cafes, restaurants, and galleries. It is lively, trendy and bohemian and well worth a visit.
Contributed By : Kat (Razor Heretic) |
|
|
 | ♠Swansea♠
Swansea (Welsh: Abertawe, "mouth of the Tawe") is a city in Wales and a Welsh County. The city of Swansea is situated on the South Wales coast immediately to the east of the Gower Peninsula and is the second largest city in Wales. The City picked up the 2005 Times Higher Education Supplement Award for the UK's "best student experience." It grew to its present importance during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, becoming a centre of heavy industry. However, it did not enjoy the same degree of immigration as Cardiff and the eastern Welsh valleys.
The name Swansea is believed to come from "Sweyn's Ey" |
("ey" being a Germanic word for "island") and to have originated in the period when the Vikings plundered the south Wales coast. Consequently it is pronounced Swan's-y [?sw?nzi]) not Swan-sea.
Swansea, Wales' City by the Sea and birthplace of Dylan Thomas and Catherine Zeta Jones, is a lively and vibrant maritime city and regional shopping centre. Only a stone throw away, the Victorian resort of Mumbles offers a fantastic array of attractions, including a pier, traditional boutiques, craft shops and ice-cream parlours. Mumbles is known as the 'Gateway to Gower', Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Gower Peninsula extends West of Mumbles in a succession of stunning coastal and rural sceneries. To the East, the 'Waterfall Country' at Afan and the Vale of Neath is a haven for walkers and bikers alike.
From lush valleys and waterfalls to award-winning sandy beaches, you'll find all you need for a fabulous holiday in Swansea Bay!
Welsh Abertawe city, Swansea county, historic county of Glamorgan (Morgannwg), southwestern Wales. It lies along the Bristol Channel at the mouth of the River Tawe. Swansea is the second largest city in Wales (after Cardiff).
In the early 12th century the Norman Henry de Newburgh built a castle there, which was later destroyed by the Welsh rebel Owen Glendower. Up to the early 18th century Swansea…
♠Castles♠
Swansea Castle was founded by Henry de Beaumont in 1106 as the caput of the lordship of Gower.
The original castle seems to have been a sub-rectangular/oval enclosure overlooking the River Tawe on the east, surrounded on the North, West and South sides by a larger sub-rectangular outer bailey. The inner bailey probably contained a motte but the other view is that it was a ring work. The new castle was attacked by the Welsh in 1116 but the inner castle held. After various other unsuccessful attacks the castle fell in 1217 but was restored to the English in 1220 as part of the settlement between Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and Henry III of England. Immediately after this the inner castle was probably walled in stone with at least one tower. Later in the 13th century the large outer bailey was also walled. The only visible remains are two sides of a rectangular "new castle" built in the South East corner of the outer bailey in the late 13th/early 14th century. The S face (which ends in a tall garderobe tower) is capped with an elegant series of arcades at the wall-head, which are similar to structures at the Bishop of Saint David's palaces at Lamphey and St David's. By then the castle had lost its military importance. It is not known whether it fell to allies of Owain Glyndwr early in the 15th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries parts of the castle were variously used as a market, a town hall, a drill hall and a prison. Part of the interior of the new castle was demolished early in the 20th century in the construction of a newspaper office. The remains have now been consolidated and opened up to view from the street.
Swansea Castle is now so hemmed in by modern buildings and roads that it is hard to imagine its original surroundings, or indeed its original form. It stands on a clifftop, below which the river Tawe originally flowed, and its position was strategic: it commanded the lowest crossing of the river, the main east-west route in south Wales, and a good harbour. What is visible now is only a small part of the latest castle on the site, which in its heyday in the late 13th century stretched from Welcome Lane in the north to Caer Street in the south, and from the clifftop in the east, almost to Princess Way in the West.
Swansea Castle's history was a turbulent one: it suffered in many Welsh raids, and changed hands many times. It was a Norman castle first mentioned in 1116 as being attacked by the Welsh. It was established by Henry I's friend Henry de Beaumont, first earl of Warwick, as the seat of administration of the marcher lordship of Gower, which Henry bestowed on him in about 1106. This first castle was of motte and bailey type, and nothing of it remains above ground. The west side of its deep ditch has been excavated to the north of the present remains. It was rebuilt in stone on the same site, probably after being razed by the Welsh in 1217. Nothing remains above ground of this stage either, but the west side of the curtain wall has been found, together with a mural tower. To the south-west of this small castle, called the 'Old Castle', a large roughly rectangular outer bailey was walled in stone late in the 13th century.
The 'New Castle', of which the present-day remains were part, lay in its south-east corner, built on the site of an earlier graveyard. This castle dates from the late 13th to early 14th century, by which time Edward I's pacification of Wales had deprived it of any military importance. It continued as an administrative center, but at a reduced level. Its holders, then the de Braoses, preferred to live at Oystermouth Castle, and inevitably decline set in. Stripped of their usefulness, the various gates and towers of the bailey were sold off in the early 14th century.
The visible remains consist of the north and south blocks, probably the work of William de Braose III, connected by a short stretch of much-altered curtain wall. The curtain wall originally continued up Castle Bailey Street on the west, and west from the north block to enclose a roughly rectangular area, with an entrance on the west side. The well-preserved south block, which occupied most of the south side of the castle, is the most spectacular part, with its picturesque arcaded parapet on top of the outside walls. This was almost certainly the work of Henry de Gower, bishop of St. Davids (1328-47), and recalls similar features in his palaces at Lamphey and St. Davids itself. Swansea may thus have served as an episcopal palace for some time. This view has, however, recently been challenged. Some authorities now believe it is the work of the de Mowbray lord of Gower, using the bishop's masons, employed at that time elsewhere in Swansea. Two large windows on the south side are the windows of the first floor hall, and below them are the narrow windows of three barrel-vaulted chambers. In the angled wing to the east was a sub-basement with great battered walls, from which there was access to the river. On the first floor was a solar, or private chamber, reached by steps on the west side. At the west end of the block is a spectacular circular garderobe tower standing to its full height, and in the south-east angle is a small turret with an arrowslit.
The small rectangular tower to the north has been much altered in post-medieval times, but retains a few original features, such as cross arrowslits. On the ground floor are three vaulted chambers, with four rooms above them inserted in the late 18th century when the block was turned into a debtor's prison. It had probably been used as a prison for a long time before, and still has grim air. Other usable parts of the castle had very heterogeneous uses at the beginning of the 19th century - as a town hall, poor-house, a new market house, store cellars, a blacksmith's and other shops, a Roman Catholic chapel (in the hall) and a dovecote.
♠Geography♠
The local government area is some 378 km² in size, including a large amount of open countryside and a central urban and suburban belt. The population in mid-2004 is about 225,000, 13.4% of which were Welsh speakers at the 2001 census, as compared with 11% for the capital city, Cardiff
However, the wider urban area including most of Swansea Bay has a total population of 270,506 (making it the 22nd largest urban area in England and Wales)
As part of a coastal region, Swansea experiences a milder climate than the mountains and valleys inland. This same location, though, leaves Swansea exposed to rain-bearing winds from the Atlantic: figures from the Met Office make Swansea the wettest city in Britain
The county area can be roughly divided into four physical areas. To the North are the Lliw uplands which are mainly open moorland. To the west is the Gower Peninsula with its rural landscape dotted with small villages. To the east is the coastal strip around Swansea Bay. Cutting though the middle from the south east to the north west is the urban and suburban zone stretching from the city of Swansea to the towns of Gorseinon and Pontarddulais.
The most heavily populated areas of the county area are Morriston and Sketty and the city centre. The chief urbanised area radiates from the city of Swansea towards the north, south and west: along the coast of Swansea Bay to Mumbles; up the Swansea Valley past Landore and Morriston to Clydach; over Townhill to Cwmbwrla, Penlan, Treboeth and Fforestfach; through Uplands, Sketty, Killay to Dunvant; and east of the river from St. Thomas to Bonymaen, Llansamet and Birchgrove. A second urbanised area is focused on a triangle defined by Gowerton, Gorseinon and Loughor along with the satellite communities of Penllergaer and Pontarddulais.
About three quarters of the county is bordered by the sea. The two main rivers in the region are the Tawe which passes the city centre and the Loughor which flows on the northern border with Carmarthenshire. The lower River Tawe has been heavily engineered whilst the River Loughor remains relatively untouched by man.
Rhossili Beach as seen from headland, GowerIn the small county area, the geology is complex, providing diverse scenery. The Gower Peninsula, to which the city is considered the gateway, was the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Excluding the small urbanised area in the south eastern corner of the county, the whole of the Gower Peninsula is part of an AONB. Swansea has numerous urban and country park lands. The region has featured regularly in the Wales in Bloom awards.
The geology of the Gower Peninsula ranges from carboniferous limestone scenery at Worm's Head to the salt-marshes and dune systems of the Loughor estuary to the north. The eastern, southern and western sides of the peninsular are lined with numerous sandy beaches both wide and small, separated by steep cliffs. The South Wales Coalfield reaches the coast in the Swansea area. This had a great bearing on the development of the city of Swansea and other towns in the county like Morriston. The inland area is covered by large swathes of grassland common overlooked by sandstone heath ridges including the prominent Cefn Bryn. The traditional agricultural landscape consists a patchwork of fields characterised by walls, stone-faced banks and hedgerows. Secluded valleys cut through the peninsula and contain rich deciduous woodland
Much of the county is very hilly with the highest point of the county being Mynydd y Betws on the border with Carmarthenshire.
♠History♠
Archaeology on the Gower Peninsula includes many remains from prehistoric times, passing through Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Prehistoric finds in the Swansea city area proper are rare. The Romans visited the area, as did the Vikings, whose name for the settlement on the river is used in English today.
Following the Norman Conquest, a marcher lordship was created: named Gower, it included land around Swansea Bay as far as the Tawe, and the manor of Kilvey beyond the Tawe as well as the peninsula itself. Swansea was designated its chief town, and subsequently received one of the earlier borough charters in Wales.
Swansea became an important port: some coal and vast amounts of limestone (for fertiliser) were being shipped out from the town by 1550. As the Industrial Revolution reached Wales, the combination of port, local coal, and trading links with the West Country, Cornwall and Devon, meant that Swansea was the logical place to site copper smelting works. Smelters were operating by 1720 and proliferated.
Following this, more coal mines (everywhere from north-east Gower to Clyne to Llangyfelach) were opened and smelters (mostly along the Tawe valley) were opened and flourished. Over the next century and a half, works were established to process arsenic, zinc and tin and to create tinplate and pottery. The city expanded rapidly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and was termed "Copperopolis". By the mid-nineteenth century Swansea docks was the largest exporter of coal in the world.
Through the twentieth century, these industries eventually declined, leaving the Lower Swansea Valley filled with derelict works and mounds of waste products from them. The Lower Swansea Valley Scheme (which still continues) reclaimed much of the land: the present Enterprise Zone exists almost entirely a result of this scheme, and of the many original docks, only those outside the city continue to work as docks: North Dock is now Parc Tawe and South Dock became the Marina.
Little city centre evidence beyond road layout remains from medieval Swansea; its industrial importance made it the target of heavy bombing in World War II, and the centre was flattened completely.
On 27th of June 1906, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the UK during the twentieth century struck Swansea with a strength of 5.2 on the Richter Scale. Earthquakes in the UK very rarely cause any structural damage as most occur away from heavily populated areas but with the earthquake centered on Swansea many taller buildings were damaged
♠The City♠
In addition to being a holiday resort, Swansea is also a commercial centre, and the recently regenerated dock areas are home to some cutting-edge hi-tech industries. One of the best-known employers in Swansea is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Whilst the city itself has a long history, many of the city centre buildings are post-war as much of the centre was destroyed by World War II bombing in the so-called Three Nights' Blitz. Within the city centre, are the ruins of the castle, the Marina, the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea Museum, the Dylan Thomas Centre, the Environmental Centre, and the Central Market, which is the largest covered market in Wales. It backs onto the Quadrant shopping centre which opened in 1978.
Wind Street is of the city's two main areas of night-life and is also the location of many chain restaurants. The street is lined with numerous pubs and wine bars attracting people from all over South Wales. Many of these buildings were originally banks, with one being the old central Post Office and sorting office and thus they are substantially larger than some of the other city centre pubs. Discos and clubs line the Kingsway and this street is other main area of central Swansea night-life. St Helen's Road connects the city centre with the Brynmill area, and has many Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants and shops on it. These mainly cater to people on a night out when walking back from the Kingsway to Brynmill in the evening.
Swansea was granted city status in 1969
to mark Prince Charles's investiture as the Prince of Wales. The announcement was made by the Prince on July 3, 1969, during a tour of Wales It obtained the further right to a have Lord Mayor in 1982.
Many areas of the city have seen changes within the early part of the 21st century. The Wales National Pool, of Olympic size, was completed. A new multi-million pound National Waterfront Museum officially opened in October 2005. Out-of-town retail parks increased in the first years of the new century. In addition to the Enterprise Park, there arose new developments at Fforestfach and next to the Liberty Stadium in Landore.
♠Culture♠
Swansea's diverse and interesting past has helped weave a city of character and charm, which has produced many famous personalities. On the literary stage, the poet Dylan Thomas is perhaps the best-known. He was born in the town and grew up at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands. There is a memorial to him in the nearby Cwmdonkin Park. The actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is probably the most famous of the city's recent cultural exports, and she maintains close links with the city. Welsh rock band Man, Pete Ham of the rock/power pop band Badfinger, author Mary Balogh, singer/songwriter Mal Pope, MP Michael Heseltine, scriptwriter and producer Russell T. Davies, singer Bonnie Tyler and entertainer Sir Harry Secombe were also born and raised in the city, as was the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Perhaps the city's most celebrated personality is Jack - a black Labrador. During his seven years of life, he managed to save twenty-seven people from drowning in the murky waters of Swansea docks. There is a monument to commemorate Jack's gallant efforts on the foreshore near the St. Helen's stadium. People from Swansea are known locally as Swansea Jacks, or just Jacks. The source of this nickname is not clear. Some attribute it to Swansea Jack, the life-saving dog. Others point to Swansea's long history as a port and the use of the word jack to indicate a sailor.
♠Performing Arts♠
There are a number of theatres in the city and the surrounding areas. The Grand Theatre in the centre of the city is a Victorian theatre which celebrated its centenary in 1997 and which has a capacity of a little over a thousand people. It was opened by the celebrated opera singer Adelina Patti. The annual programme ranges from pantomime and drama to opera and ballet. A new wing of the Grand, the Arts Wing, has a studio suitable for smaller shows, with a capacity of about 200. The Taliesin building on the university campus has a theatre. Other theatres include the Dylan Thomas Theatre (formerly the Little Theatre) near the marina, and one in Penyrheol Leisure Centre near Gorseinon. In the summer, outdoor Shakespeare performances are a regular feature at Oystermouth Castle, and Singleton Park is the venue for a number of parties and concerts, from dance music to outdoor Proms. Although Pontardawe is outside the city boundaries, the trip from Swansea to Pontardawe for the annual folk festival is a short one. Another folk festival is held on Gower. Standing near Victoria Park on the coast road is the Patti Pavillion: this was the Winter Garden from Adelina Patti's Craig-y-Nos estate in the upper Swansea valley, which she donated to the town in 1918. It is used as a venue for music shows and fairs. The Brangwyn Hall is a multi-use venue with events ranging from graduation ceremonies to the annual Chinese New Year celebrations for the local Chinese community. Every autumn, Swansea hosts a Festival of Music and the Arts, when international orchestras and soloists visit the Brangwyn Hall.
Swansea hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1863, 1891, 1907, 1926, 1964, 1982 and 2006. The 2006 event occupied the site of the former Velindre tinplate works to the north of the city and featured a strikingly pink main tent
♠Welsh Language♠
There are many Welsh-language chapels and churches in the area. Welsh-medium education is a popular and growing choice for both English- and Welsh-speaking parents, leading to claims in the local press in autumn 2004 that to accommodate demand, the council planned to close an English-medium school in favour of opening a new Welsh-medium school. (Source: Swansea Evening Post, September 8, 2004, and subsequent issues.)
45% of the rural council ward Mawr speak Welsh, as do 38% of the ward of Pontarddulais. Clydach, Kingsbridge and Upper Loughor all have levels of more than 20%. By contrast, the urban St. Thomas has one of the lowest figures in Wales, at 6.4%, a figure only barely lower than Penderry and Townhill wards
♠Sports♠
Further information: Swansea City A.F.C., Swansea RFC and Ospreys (rugby union) for more about Swansea's major sports clubs
There are a number of sporting venues in Swansea. St Helen's is a cricket and rugby ground which is one of the homes of Glamorgan County Cricket Club. It was in this ground that Sir Garfield Sobers hit six sixes in one over: the first time this was achieved in a game of first-class cricket. One ball is reputed to have landed in the Cricketers' pub just outside the ground. The stadium is metres from the coast of Swansea Bay. Strong local rivalries exist between Swansea and Cardiff in football and between Swansea and Llanelli in rugby. Swansea also boasts one of the largest Saturday local football leagues in the country, second only to the one in Birmingham at its peak.
Liberty Stadium, home of Swansea City and The OspreysSwansea City A.F.C., the Swans, moved from the Vetch Field to the new Liberty Stadium at the start of the 2005-2006 season, winning promotion to League One in their final year at their old home. The first game at the new stadium was on July 23: a football friendly between the Swans and Fulham which ended 1-1. Swansea City are currently pushing for promotion from League One to the Championship after losing to Barnsley in the League 1 play-off final at the Millennium Stadium. Swansea City have recently retained the FAW cup and on April 2nd 2006 30,000 Swans fans made the journey to Cardiff to see their side defeat Carlisle 2-1 in the Football League Final. The Swans' football following are known as the Jack Army due to the regional nickname for people from Swansea.
In 2003, Swansea RFC merged with Neath RFC to form the Neath-Swansea Ospreys rugby club. Swansea RFC remains at St Helen's in semi-professional form, but the Ospreys moved to the then-named New Stadium in Landore for the start of the 2005-2006 season. The final Ospreys match at St Helen's was played on the same day as the final Swans league game at the Vetch: April 30, 2005. Swansea/Neath rugby games used to be hotly-contested matches, such that there was some debate about whether a team incorporating both areas was possible. In fact the Neath-Swansea Ospreys seem to be the most successful club since Welsh rugby's reorganisation and came fifth in the Celtic League in their first year of existence, and won that league in their second year.
Swansea's rugby league side play a few miles out of the city in the small town of Ystalyfera. They are known as the Swansea Valley Miners but were formed as the Swansea Bulls in 2002.
♠Religion♠
Swansea, like Wales in general, has seen many non-conformist religious revivals. In 1904, Evan Roberts, a miner from Loughor (Llwchwr), just outside Swansea, was the leader of what has been called one of the world's greatest Protestant religious revivals. Within a few months about 100,000 people were converted. This revival in particular had a profound effect on Welsh society. The "Welsh Revival" of 1904 is acknowledged as having been an instigator of, and a major influence on the twentieth century's Pentecostal movement. One of its first overseas influences was seen in the African American church: the Azusa Street Revival, beginning April 9, 1906 at Los Angeles, USA. It has been said that 25% of the world's Christians (usually Protestant Pentecostals or Charismatics) are Christians as a direct result of the 1904 revival in Swansea.
♠Government♠
City and County of Swansea GuildhallMain article: City and County of Swansea
Traditionally, Swansea refers to the City of Swansea which is the settlement around the Tawe estuary. Today it also refers to one of the Subdivisions of Wales under the name of the 'City and County of Swansea' (Welsh: Dinas a Sir Abertawe}.
Swansea was once a staunch Labour stronghold. The Liberal Democrats are the largest group in the administration that took control of Swansea Council in the 2004 local elections.
The City & County of Swansea is twinned with:
Mannheim (Germany)
Pau (France)
Cork (Republic of Ireland)
Connections with:
Ferrara (Italy)
Århus (Denmark)
Friendship link with:
Nantong (China)
New York City (USA)
♠Economy♠
Swansea originally developed as centre for metals and mining, especially the copper industry, from the beginning of the 18th century. The industry reached its apogee in the 1880s, when 60% of the copper ores imported to Britain were smelted in the Lower Swansea valley. However, by the end of the Second World War these heavy industries were in decline, and over the post-war decades Swansea shared in the general trend towards a post-industrial, service sector economy.
Today, the most important economic sectors in Swansea are: public administration, education and health (37.4% of local jobs); distribution, hotels and restaurants (25.5%); and banking, finance and insurance (16.3%). The high proportion of public sector employment is common to Wales as a whole (32.8%) and much higher than the UK average (26.4%). This primarily reflects the relative weakness of the private sector in Swansea (and Wales) rather than an "overly" large public sector, although some Government departments and agencies (including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) have purposely located offices in Swansea and other less prosperous cities and regions.
The largest single major category of jobs in Swansea is associate professional & technical occupations (comprising 13.7% of employment), although compared to the Welsh and UK averages the city also has relatively large shares of administrative & secretarial occupations (13.4%), elementary occupations (13.1%) and sales & customer service occupations (10.7%). There are proportionally more managers & senior officials in Swansea than Wales as a whole (13.3% compared to 12.5%), but this lags behind the overall UK figure (14.8%), reflecting the lack of any large regional corporate presence with the high value-added employment that brings.
In May 2006, 71.9% of Swansea's working age residents were in employment, 23.3% were economically inactive and 6.1% unemployed. The economic activity rate is higher than the Welsh average but notably lower than the overall UK figure. This differential may be partly due to the relatively large number of students in Swansea (the city has a university and an institute of higher education), but is also caused by a large element of 'hidden unemployment' especially in the more deprived areas such as Townhill and much of Swansea East. Only 8.1% of Swansea residents are self-employed, compared to an average of more than 12% in Wales and the UK as a whole.
Swansea has a higher proportion of working age population qualified to degree (NVQ 4 or equivalent) level than the Welsh average, but a lower proportion than the UK average. Similarly, fewer Swansea residents have no qualifications (16%) relative to Wales as a whole, but this figure is slightly higher than the UK level.
The city is a centre of net in-commuting, with around 16,000 people making a daily journey outside the authority for work (principally to neighbouring Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire) and 25,100 commuting in (again, mainly from Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire).
Surveys show that annual full-time gross median earnings for Swansea residents are lower than the Welsh and UK averages (£21,003 against £21,023 and £22,901). The annual gross median earnings for those who work in Swansea are even lower, only £19,391. Similarly, Gross Value Added (GVA) per head is relatively low in Swansea at £13,507 compared to a UK figure of £16,485, although here Swansea performs better than Wales as a whole (£12,716). However, since the cost of living is lower in Swansea (indeed most of Wales) compared to many other parts of the UK, lower earnings and GVA per head do not necessarily signify a major gap in living standards.
Although some surveys place Swansea as the 18th largest retail centre in the UK - a high placement considering the size of its population - in rankings of shopping attractiveness and competitiveness Swansea is usually placed outside the top 50, largely because of the low quality of the city centre retail offer. A peculiarity of Swansea is the lack of employment in the city centre, relative to other towns and cities of similar size. Many major employers have moved to the Enterprise Park or other city fringe locations; only 4,510 office jobs are now are located in the city centre, compared to 13,910 in Cardiff. This reduces spend in the city centre economy and helps to underpin the weakness of the local retail sector. Low demand prevents speculative development of new commercial premises, which has created a vicious circle of city centre decline.
Given the weakness of the local market, most new retail and office developments are supported by public sector 'gap funding'. The former Welsh Development Agency promoted the regeneration of several sites in the city, in recent years most notably the SA1 Waterfront development, which continues to be supported by the Welsh Assembly Government.[14] The WDA's Technium concept of incubator space for high technology firms (often 'spin outs' from the local university) was launched at the SA1 site, and additional facilities have now been constructed there and on the university campus. The Assembly and IBM are supporting a new Institute of Life Sciences at the university, which it is hoped will generate high skill, high value-added jobs in future.
♠Education♠
The Swansea University has a campus in Singleton Park overlooking Swansea Bay. Its engineering department is recognised as a centre of excellence with pioneering work on computational techniques for solving engineering design problems. Other establishments for further and higher education in the city include Swansea Institute of Higher Education and Swansea College, with Gorseinon College just outside the city proper. Swansea Institute was particularly well-known for its Architectural Glass department; stained glass was a long time speciality.
There are fifteen comprehensive schools under the remit of the local education authority, of which two are Welsh-medium. The oldest school in Swansea is Bishop Gore School. The largest comprehensive school in Swansea is the Olchfa School. Swansea is also home to The Bible College of Wales. Swansea's most famous independent school is Ffynone House.
♠Local Media♠
The local newspaper is the Evening Post. There is also a local free newspaper called the Swansea Herald. Local radio stations include Swansea Sound and 96.4 FM The Wave. Swansea is one of the few regions in Wales with reasonable digital radio coverage: this was improved in January 2005 with the launch of the Swansea DAB multiplex which is located on the top of Kilvey Hill. The local papur bro (Welsh-language news) is Wilia. Swansea is served by three local radio stations, the recently launched "Swansea Bay Radio" on 102.1 FM, the Wave (96.4 FM), and Swansea Sound (1170 AM). Both the Wave and Swansea Sound are also available on the local DAB multiplex.
Swansea plays host to the BeyondTV International Film Festival. BeyondTV is annual event organised by independent filmmakers Undercurrents to showcase the best of activism filmmakers. Independent filmmakers Undercurrents are based in Swansea.
♠County level transport♠
Swansea's main mode of local public transport is via buses. There are few local train services within the county area. The only suburban train services are provided by the main lines in and out of the city, where train services are provided on a two hourly basis during peak times. A major weakness in Swansea's public transport offering is the separation of the railway station with the bus station. It takes about 15 minutes to walk between the two but there are regular bus services between the two, which operate at 5 to 10 minute intervals during peak hours. However is expected to introduce a new concept of public transport called the Swansea Metro which is a 110-seater bus-tram hybrid, and will aim to speed up journeys as customers will pre-pay for their tickets at metro stops.
The bus station in the city centre serves as the bus transport hub. First Cymru is the predominant bus operating company in the county. Some rural routes in the local authority area are funded by the council; this includes the majority of the services on Gower, for example, which are operated by Pullman Coaches under the brand name of 'Gower Explorer' with its distinctive Ray Stenning-designed livery.
Park and Ride services are operated from secure car parks at Landore and the Fabian Way. During busy periods of the year, additional Park and Ride services are operated from the Brynmill recreation ground. A third Park and Ride site at Forestfach on Carmarthen Road - A483 (on the site of the old Mettoys factory) opened on Monday 13th November 2006.
The main taxi rank is located next to St Mary's Church. For transport connections, taxi ranks are located at the bus railway stations. In addition, small taxi ranks are located at Castle Square and the Kingsway providing transport.
There are four dedicated cycle routes in the county area. Adjacent to Swansea Bay is a combined cycle route and walkway known simply as "the promenade" by the local people. The Maritime Quarter and the Knab Rock near the Mumbles Pier form the ends of this route. At the heart of the Clyne Valley Country Park is the Clyne Valley Cycle Track, part of National Cycle Route 4. This track connects Blackpill with Gowerton, cutting through much tranquil woodland. On the east bank of the River Tawe is a cycle track (National Cycle Route 43) and foot path providing views of the River Tawe and the industrial ruins at Hafod. This route terminates at the Quay Parade road bridge and Pentre-Chwyth traffic junction. Departing the city centre eastwards from Quay parade bridge there is a cycle track running adjacent to the Fabian Way which runs east as part of National Cycle Route 4, which extends to Chepstow (as the Celtic Trail) and eventually London. A new bridge over Fabian Way carrying a new express bus only lane will also incorporate a shared use pedestrian and cycle way.
♠Leisure & Tourism♠
Another shot of the marina from Trawler Road
View of Swansea Bay from the air. The Mumbles can be seen in the distance. The Uplands suburb can be seen in the foreground.With its seaside location and varied inland geography, Swansea makes a suitable destination for a range of outdoor activies like swimming, sailing, water skiing, surfing, sea angling, canoeing, and rowing, or hiking.
Prior to closure in 2003, Swansea's Leisure Centre was one of the top ten visitor attractions in the UK. It is currently being redeveloped as a water sports theme park. The only 50m swimming pool, the Wales National Pool is based in Swansea.
The wide sandy beaches at Langland, Caswell and Limeslade are the most popular with swimmers and tourists with children, whereas the wide and calm waters of Swansea Bay tend to attract the water-sport enthusiast. Coastal paths connect most of the Gower bays and Swansea Bay itself, and hikers can enjoy countryside views throughout the year. Although little known on the tourist map, the North of Swansea has some of the most outstanding countryside in the country, with panoramas of the Welsh mountains. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the county, the former fishing village of Mumbles (located on the western edge of Swansea Bay) has a variety restaurants and coffee shops. The promenade at Mumbles offers a panoramic view of the Swansea Bay vista.
♥http://www.swansea.gov.uk/
♥http://www.swan.ac.uk/
Contributed By : Kat (Razor Heretic) |
|
