Cardiff Castle, South Glamorgan. Open Daily, Admission Charge.
Details
Accessibility
There are several multi-story car parks in the vicinity of the Castle and much of the area around the castle is pedestrianised.
There are accessibility parking spaces available within the castle grounds. These need to be booked in advance by phoning 029 2087 8100.
Cardiff Castle is quite extensive and some areas are accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs, while others are not.
The Interpretation Centre is fully accessible to wheelchairs, with a lift to the first floor, terrace and disability toilets.
The Education Centre and Undercroft are also accessible.
From the terrace there is level access around the Battlement Walk and ramped access to the Castle Green.
The general castle grounds are mostly flat and accessible, with some cobbled surfaces.
The Castle Apartments, Norman Keep and Clock Tower are NOT accessible to wheelchairs with many steep and uneven steps. This means the House Tour, and Clock Tower Tour are not accessible.
There is a Shopmobility located at St David's Shopping Centre, P3, Mary Ann Street, CF10 2EQ which offers electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters to those with limited mobility. The shopping centre itself is fully accessible to wheelchairs and has accessibility toilets.
Brief Description
Cardiff Castle is the oldest building in the city, with excavations suggesting the Roman's built the first fort around 54 AD, and another larger fort around 300 AD. In the early 11th century the Normans raised a new castle on the site and throughout the following centuries various Lordships made renovations and enlargements and left their own personal mark on the castle. There are a huge range of stained glass windows, ornate ceilings and wall decorations, monuments and grand halls and rooms within the castle. There are also extensive grounds and historic walls and structures.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_Castle#
The Clock Tower and the Astronomical Statues
Plan of the castle in the 21st century; A – North Gate; B – motte and shell keep; C – outer bailey; D – main lodgings; E – inner bailey; F – the Clock Tower; G – the Black Tower; H – South Gate and barbican tower
2026: "Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort. The castle was commissioned either by William the Conqueror or by Robert Fitzhamon, and formed the heart of the medieval town of Cardiff and the Marcher Lord territory of Glamorgan. In the 12th century the castle began to be rebuilt in stone, probably by Robert of Gloucester, with a shell keep and substantial defensive walls being erected. Further work was conducted by the 6th Earl of Gloucester in the second half of the 13th century. Cardiff Castle was repeatedly involved in the conflicts between the Anglo-Normans and the Welsh, being attacked several times in the 12th century, and stormed in 1404 during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr.
After being held by the de Clare and Despenser families for several centuries, the castle was acquired by the 13th Earl of Warwick in 1423. Warwick conducted extensive work on the castle, founding the main lodgings on the west side of the castle, dominated by a tall octagonal tower. Following the Wars of the Roses, the status of the castle as a Marcher territory was revoked and its military significance began to decline. The Herbert family took over the property in 1550, remodelling parts of the main lodgings and carrying out construction work in the outer bailey, then occupied by Cardiff's Shire Hall and other buildings. During the English Civil War Cardiff Castle was initially taken by a Parliamentary force, but was regained by Royalist supporters in 1645. When fighting broke out again in 1648, a Royalist army attacked Cardiff in a bid to regain the castle, leading to the Battle of St Fagans just outside the city. Cardiff Castle escaped potential destruction by Parliament after the war and was instead garrisoned, probably to protect against a possible Scottish invasion.
In the mid-18th century, Cardiff Castle passed into the hands of the Scottish Marquesses of Bute. The 1st Marquess of Bute employed Capability Brown and Henry Holland to renovate the main lodgings, turning it into a Georgian mansion, and to landscape the castle grounds, demolishing many of the older medieval buildings and walls. During the first half of the 19th century the family became extremely wealthy as a result of the growth of the coal industry in Glamorgan. However, it was the 3rd Marquess of Bute who truly transformed the castle, using his vast wealth to back an extensive programme of renovations under William Burges. Burges remodelled the castle in a Gothic revival style, lavishing money and attention on the main lodgings. The resulting interior designs are considered to be amongst "the most magnificent that the gothic revival ever achieved".[5] The grounds were re-landscaped and, following the discovery of the old Roman remains, reconstructed walls and a gatehouse in a Roman style were incorporated into the castle design. Extensive landscaped parks were built around the outside of the castle.
In the early 20th century, the 4th Marquess of Bute inherited the castle and construction work continued into the 1920s. The Bute lands and commercial interests around Cardiff were sold off or nationalised until, by the time of the Second World War, little was left except the castle. During the war, extensive air raid shelters were built in the castle walls; they could hold up to 1,800 people. When the 4th Marquess died in 1947, the castle was given to the City of Cardiff. Today the castle is run as a tourist attraction, with the grounds housing the "Firing Line" regimental museum and interpretation centre. The castle also serves as a venue for events, including musical performances and festivals."
Further Information
Address
Cardiff Castle, Castle Street, Cardiff, CF10 3RB
Phone
029 2087 8100
Website
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5398merym47o
Opening Hours
https://www.cardiffcastle.com/visit/opening-times/?
2026: "The Castle is open to the public 7 days a week throughout year, including bank holidays. The only exceptions are on Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year’s Day (1 January), when we are closed. There may be special event days throughout the year, but especially during the summer, where admission is only open to event ticket holders for all or part of the day.
Cardiff Castle’s opening hours vary between the summer and winter periods. Summer opening is from March to October and winter opening is between November and February.
Final admissions for paying visitors are one hour before the Castle closes, however, some attractions within the grounds may be closed ahead of time.
Note that there may be changes to our regular opening hours on special event days, please check our website before your visit.
*These times also apply on bank holidays and during school holidays."
Admission Prices
2026: "A standard Castle Ticket currently costs £16.50 for adults and £11 for children, with concessions and discounts available. Admission includes access to the Castle Apartments, Norman Keep, Battlement Walks, Wartime Shelters, and Firing Line museum. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or from the Ticket Office on the day."
Directions
Follow the M4 to Cardiff and exit at junction 32. Follow the A470 to Cardiff City Centre. The Castle is well signposted and there are several car parks close to the castle.
Transport
Cardiff Central Station is a 10 minute walk from the castle. Trains and buses run from all surrounding areas and all parts of the country. The majority of bus routes offer wheelchair access. Visit www.traveline.cymru for bus and train timetables or to confirm accessibility options on specific routes.
Amenities
Accessible toilets, specialist tours, café, gift shop, information guides.
Weddings: https://www.cardiffcastle.com/weddings/?
Travel Information
For further travel information in Wales please see: www.traveline.cymru/travel-info
Or call Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000
Location
Nearest Venues
Chicken.com takeaway,13 Castle St, Cardiff
83 metres*
The Angel Hotel, Castle St, Cardiff
112 metres*
Callaghans Sports Bar, Cardiff
163 metres*
*Distances are calculated in a straight line from the current venue, please allow extra time/distance based on available paths or roads.