It consists of four parts, one of which is cozy and full of life. It is immediately surrounded by seas on three sides, and on the fourth side Wales borders on several counties. The capital of Wales is a beautiful city, which is always bustling with life thanks to the large influx of tourists.

The official name of this area is “Principality of Wales”, but this option is practically not used. The name "Wales" most likely comes from original name Celts who lived here. Among the more than three million people living in Wales, the Welsh predominate. They actively maintain their native language, although they can communicate quite calmly in the familiar language English language. What distinguishes the local population is their great commitment to their culture and traditions. Numerous historical events did not influence Welsh culture, leaving it quite original.

The main wealth of Wales can rightly be called nature: magnificent landscapes are everywhere, more than half of the territory is national parks with beautiful beaches and dense vegetation. The highlight is Snowdonia Park, where, in addition to gorgeous nature, you can admire the ruins of Celtic fortresses and castles with monasteries from medieval times. By the way, there are an unusually large number of castles here; they are located on almost every street. For example, this is where the most old lock throughout the UK - Chepstow Castle. It began to be built back in 1067. In Wales you can also find the oldest monastery in Britain, Bangor-on-Dee, which was built back in 560. Quite impressive castles for tourists include Conwy and Caenarfon.

Photo credit: Les Haines

A special holiday for all residents of Wales is March 1 - the day of St. David, who is the patron saint of this country. They say that Saint David performed many miracles - he knew how to resurrect the dead, he treated people with ordinary water. He passed away on March 1, 601, just as he saw in one of his own visions.

An interesting fact about Wales is that it includes a city with surprisingly long name. It consists of 58 letters and when translated means a detailed indication of the location where the Church of St. Mary is located. Tourists cannot read such a name the first time, but local residents They are very proud of him and know all these 58 letters by heart.

Every year an unusual competition is held in Wales - over a distance of 35 km, people compete with jockeys on horses. The marathon arose quite spontaneously when the owner of one of the bars accidentally heard that a person cannot lose to a horse in a race. At the first competition in 1980, people were noticeably behind, so it was decided to add cyclists to the marathon. By the way, once one of them even won the marathon. Cyclists were subsequently excluded, and the first runner was finally able to overtake a horse only in 2004.

Also, having visited , you can attend an international competition of liars - yes, everything is absolutely true. Every year, liars from all over the world come here to tell each other the most incredible and deceitful stories, hoping to win and become the best liar.

Visiting Wales, be it several cities or just Cardiff, can reveal a lot about this part of the UK. Exciting excursions, walking tours or visits to museums and galleries will help you enjoy the atmosphere of Wales and get acquainted with its most interesting moments, from history to modern times.

Unspoilt, uncrowded, full of natural and rural beauty, Wales has a strong Celtic flavor, despite centuries of conquest leaving behind countless fortresses.

The complex Welsh language is of Celtic heritage, supported by Wales' bilingualism policy. Another Celtic tradition - singing and quoting poetry - is supported by the "Eisteddfods". The Llangolen Festival is the largest. It attracts more than 12,000 participants from all over the world every year.

Typical Welsh handicrafts can be found in almost every town, as well as in small workshops along the roads. Among them: wooden love spoons, Celtic jewelry made of gold and silver, whole line woolen items and unique souvenirs made of slate, wood, clay and even coal!

Wales is also famous for its delicious dishes such as lara brith (juicy fruit bread), laverbread (edible seaweed) and baby lamb.

As Wales' landscape is predominantly rural, bed and breakfasts are offered by friendly farmers everywhere. Here you will be greeted hospitably wherever you go.

Although Wales is an agricultural region, there are also cities. The smallest of them is Saint. St. David's, located in a valley on the southwest coast. The city received the status of "City" due to the presence of a cathedral containing the relics of St. David, the patron saint of Wales.

Swansea, the most Big City, - entrance to the beautiful coastal areas of the Gower Peninsula and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The capital of Wales is Cardiff, an interesting combination architecture of the 19th century century city center and palaces, as well as modern architecture of shops and bays.

Wales is famous for its castles. Many of them were destroyed, but some have been restored to their original form, including luxury apartments. One of them is the castle in Cardiff, rebuilt in late XIX century by William Burges and representing an example of majestic medieval romanticism. The same master also restored Castell Coch Castle, located north of the city of Cardiff, in the pseudo-Norman style.

Some of the most impressive Welsh castles were actually built by the English conqueror of Wales, King Edward I. Among them are Caernarfon Castle, built as an official royal residence, and Conwy Castle, which still has medieval walls, the mouth of the river.

In relatively recent times, Wales was famous for its mines, particularly its coal mines, some of which are now open to visitors. At the Big Pit Mining Museum in Blaenafon, you can, equipped with a miner's helmet with spotlights, descend down the mine to a depth of 90 m and listen to a guided tour about the mining. You also go deep into the Llechwedd Slate Caverns near Blaenau Ffestiniog, where you watch the slate crack at the surface.

Gold has always been and continues to be the rarest mineral in Wales. The Dolaucothi Gold mines, near the village of Pumsaint, date back to Roman times, although gold was mined there relatively recently - in 1938.

However, the best attraction of Wales is its lush green hills, bordered by mostly sandy beaches, dotted with rivers and waterfalls, containing many lakes and reservoirs and crowned by mountain formations.

In the south in National Park Brecon Beacon National Park consists of four mountain ranges. There are high, open and forested gorges, waterfalls and caves that are ideal for educational walks and spending time fresh air.

Further west is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, a magnificent sandy coastline that feeds the wildlife of nearby cliffs and paths that lead to beautiful beaches. The nearby town of Tenby not only has beaches, but also plenty of shops and other entertainment.

Towards the north lies Snowdonia National Park - covering much inspiring mountains, valleys and villages. Except for serious climbers, you can get to the top of Snowdonia by train. Short walks from villages such as Beddgelert and the Ffestiniog Railway stations between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog will be a delight for travelers.

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The name of this country in Welsh sounds like Camry and is translated as “land of friends”, and in ancient German it is Wales and means “country of strangers”.

This unusual country is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Famous for its luxurious rural landscape, ancient castles, beautiful coastline and sheep. An interesting fact is that Wales has three million inhabitants and 11 million sheep.

Historical facts about Wales

Wales is the birthplace of the legendary King Arthur. The greatness of Wales is evidenced by ancient castles. Interestingly, there are more castles per square mile here than anywhere else in the world. It was the first Prince of Wales who became King of Great Britain. Therefore, now only the heir to the English throne, the first male child of the reigning monarch, receives the title “Prince of Wales”.

Cardiff Castle

An interesting fact is that until 1955 the capital of Wales did not exist. The city of Cardiff was proclaimed the capital only in the last century. In addition, the head office of the Royal mint Great Britain is located near Cardiff in the city of Llantrisant.

In 2004, the compilers of the Eurostat Statistical Compendium forgot about Wales. They put all the EU member countries on their cover, albeit the UK, but without Wales. Instead, the Irish Sea appeared. Neither the European Commission in Cardiff nor the British government commented on this incident.

Unusual festivals in Wales

Are you considered a notorious liar? Are you perfect in this matter? So, it's time to go to the small Welsh village of Santon Bridge. Where every year in November the World's Biggest Liar competition takes place. The rules are very simple - within five minutes the contestant must tell a convincing, implausible story without paper. There is only one restriction - politicians and lawyers are not allowed to take part in the title of the biggest liar, since the rules include the fact that they are very experienced in skillful lies.

An interesting fact is that this competition was once won by Bishop Carlisle with the shortest speech. “I’ve never told a lie in my life,” he said simply.

Since July 1980, the town of Lanurthyd Wells has hosted the 35-kilometre Man vs Horse Marathon. People compete with jockeys on horses. As a rule, up to five hundred participants take part.

This race was invented by local landowner Gordon Green, who once heard that a man could not yield to a horse over a long distance. The most interesting thing is that at the 25th marathon, runner Hugh Lobb was ahead of the horse by 2 minutes and 43 seconds. Florian Halzinger was able to repeat his success, beating the jockey by 11 minutes and 26 seconds.

Symbols of Wales

Since the 7th century, the leek has been considered the symbol of Wales. It was first used during battle by the Welsh on their helmets to distinguish their own from their enemies. The Welsh won the battle, and the plant received national status. In Welsh, the word leek is very similar to the word daffodil, so this flower has also become a symbol of Wales.

A Welsh town has been awarded the title of city with the longest name of 58 letters. It reads "Llanwyrepullgwyngyllgogerihuirndrobullllantysiliogogogoch" and is a detailed explanation of where St Mary's Church is located.

An interesting fact about Wales is that its flag is not part of the united flag of the United Kingdom. The red dragon on a green and white background still protects Wales, which has never been a sovereign state.

By the way, the famous pirate flag “Jolly Roger” also comes from Wales.

Here's another interesting fact: mathematician and doctor Robert Record, who was born in Tenby, south-west Wales, invented the well-known signs "=", "+" and "-".

Facts show that great inventions are invented for fun. So, the tennis we know was invented in 1873 by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield to entertain guests at receptions. The game was called “lawn tennis”.

Wales is a country located in the West of Britain. St. David is the patron saint of Wales. On the 1st of March, St. David’s Day, patriotic Welsh people wear a leek or a daffodil, both symbols of Wales. The population of Wales is about three million. The area of ​​Wales is 20,764 sq. km. Wales is agricultural; there are few cities there, rather small and unimportant. The west coast, mid Wales and North Wales are wild and beautiful. Wales has high mountains, including Mount Snowdon, the second highest mountain in Britain. Snowdon looks very peaceful and beautiful. Cardiff, the modern capital of Wales, has a Roman castle and a modern shopping centre. Cardiff is an industrial city, which also has a cathedral and a university. Every year, an international festival called Eisteddfod is held in the town of Llangollen. People come from all over the world to recite poetry, sing and dance in this colorful competition.

There are two national languages ​​in Wales – the Welsh language, which is spoken widely, especially in the North of the country and English. Both these languages ​​are taught in schools. There are also Welsh and british TV channels. Rugby is the national game of Wales. The rules of the game are quite difficult. A team consists of fifteen players. The game is played with an egg-shaped ball. There are three National Parks in Wales. These parks are protected by law because of their natural beauty, but some people live and work there. The flag of Wales, with its red dragon, is one of the oldest in the world. It was brought to Britain by the Romans. The Welsh call their country Cymru and themselves Cymry.

Translation

Wales is a country located in the west of Great Britain. Saint David of Wales is considered the country's patron saint. On the first of March, St. David's Day, the Welsh attach leeks or daffodils, the national symbols of Wales, to their clothes. Wales has a population of about three million people. The area of ​​Wales is 20,764 square meters. km. Wales is an agricultural country; there's not much in it major cities, mostly small and unimportant. West Coast, central Wales and North Wales are wild and beautiful. The country has many high mountains, including Mount Snowdon, the second highest mountain in the UK. Snowdon looks very peaceful and beautiful. In the city of Cardiff, the modern capital of Wales, there is a Roman fortress. This is modern shopping mall. Cardiff is an industrial city that also has a cathedral and a university. Every yearheld in Llangolleninternational festival called Eisteddfod. People from all over the world are coming to participate in this colorful competition: read poetry, sing and dance.

Wales has two national languages- Welsh, which is widely spoken, especially in the north of the country, and English. Both languages ​​are taught in schools. There are also TV channels in Welsh and English. Rugby - national game Wales. The rules of the game are quite complicated. The team consists of fifteen players. The ball is egg-shaped. Wales has three national parks. They are protected by law as they are areas of outstanding natural beauty. Despite this, people live and work in the parks. The flag of Wales with its red dragon is one of the oldest in the world. It was brought to Britain by the Romans. The Welsh call their country Cymry, and the inhabitants Cymry(Welsh for "compatriots").

Wales is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and is one of the 4 main administrative and political parts. It is located in the southwestern part of Great Britain and is washed by three seas at once, and also borders England.

There are many islands near Wales, but the largest of them is Anglesey. Background part national flag Wales is represented by the colors green and white, with a red dragon on top of them. Most of the population and industrial enterprises are located in the southern part of Wales, its capital is the city of Cardiff.

There are about 18 operating restaurants in the capital. They mainly serve lamb, seafood, and savory cheeses. In the center of the capital there is a picturesque Cathay Park, which houses various architectural structures and sculptures.

The concentration of population and enterprises in the south is due to the fact that in the northern and central parts there is Mountain landscape. The highest point in the country is Mount Snowdon, which is hidden behind the clouds at 1085 m.

Wales is very rich in various deposits, in the south there is a large coal basin, in the southwest there are many mineral springs, the largest of them are sulfur and salt.

In Wales, sheep are bred, the number of which is 4 times higher than the local population.

On the roads of Wales there are road signs, the inscription on which is presented in English and Welsh. Many sports are well developed in Wales. For example, the mountainous terrain allows for competitions in rock climbing and mountain biking. Competitions between people and jockeys on horses are held annually. Surfing competitions take place on the Gower Peninsula. The sport of golf is very popular in this country; there are already over 200 golf courses. There is a large football stadium, the Millennium, its capacity can reach 80 thousand people. If a football match took place in rainy weather, then the stadium is equipped with a retractable roof.

There are many ancient castles in Wales. The largest, most majestic and ancient is Caernarfon Castle.

The oldest building in the capital of Wales is the Church of St. John the Baptist, which was built in the 15th century. However, over such a long period of time, the church has been destroyed more than once; it contains the relics of the patron saint of Wales - St. David.

Wales is famous for its National Opera and various museums. The most interesting of them are the slate museum and the wool museum.

The largest lake is called Bala and has an area of ​​about 5 sq. km, its depth is 42 meters. There are lovers in this lake fishing They can not only have a good time, but also catch fish. Lake Bala is mainly inhabited by perch, pike, trout and carp. As you can see, the fish are different, there are even predators.

Culture and competitions are also given a lot of attention in Wales. For example, theater, literary, jazz, film festivals are held, and a song competition is held in the capital.