Perhaps unsurprising for a city steeped in history, but Cardiff punches well above its weight in terms of listed buildings.
Dotted all over the city are over 1,000 protected buildings, and some of them can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
But among these, just 16 have been given the highest level of protection of being designated a "grade one listed building".
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A listed building or structure has been given this special status by Cadw. This means it may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission from the local planning authority.
Especially for significant alterations to the more notable listed buildings, the local authority will typically consult the relevant central government agency.
These three grades of listing are:
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Grade I: buildings of exceptional interest.
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Grade II*: particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
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Grade II: buildings that are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.
While some buildings across the city would be obvious contenders for listed status, there are some you might just never have considered.
Here are all of the Grade I listed buildings of Cardiff and the stories behind them
The Animal Wall - 1890
The Animal Wall was designed by William Burges in 1866 and originally included a hyena, wolf, baboons, seal, bear, lioness, lynx, and two lions.
Popular with children and adults alike it is a popular spot for a selfie.
They even came to life during the City of Unexpected in 2016 when a giant frog was temporarily added to the wall.
After they were originally sculpted, glass eyes and paint were added to make them seem even more lifelike.
The paint quickly peeled off but the eyes remain today.
Castell Coch - Rebuilt 1875–91
Now a 19th-century Gothic revival castle it was originally built by the Normans to protect the newly conquered town of Cardiff.
This castle was likely destroyed in the native Welsh rebellion of 1314
The 3rd Marquess of Bute inherited the castle in 1848 and he employed architect William Burges (who also designed the Animal Wall) to reconstruct the castle,
It now also acts as a tough challenge for cyclists and walkers due to its steep drive.
Cardiff Castle - 1081
Originally a motte and bailey castle built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders. It was commissioned either by William the Conqueror or by Robert Fitzhamon.
Several Marquess’ of Bute have rebuilt and revived the castle over the last two and a half centuries. It is now a popular tourist destination and even contains a star from the popular comedy Blackadder. You can read more on that here.
Cardiff Crown Court - 1906
Cardiff Crown Court is a historic building situated in Cathays Park.
The building was opened by the 3rd Marquess of Bute in October 1906 and is situated in Cathays Park,
Hopefully, your only visit will be to admire the building.
City Hall - 1906
This building came as a result of a competition to design Cardiff’s fifth town hall.
The fourth was built on St Mary Street in 1850.
The construction was carried out by local builders E Turner and Sons who created the world’s first all-electrically operated building site, including eight cranes to lift the stone blocks
The total cost was £129,708 which would now buy you a small flat in Cardiff Bay.
With the Welsh capital given its city charter in 1905, it became known as City Hall.
The Glamorgan Building - 1912
Yet another building in Cathays Park, the Glamorgan Building used to be the county hall of Glamorgan.
Like much of the area it was bought by Cardiff University in 1997 and houses the School of Social Sciences and the School of Geography and Planning.
The building is well known for its two statues outside of it which are supposed to represent the main sources of Glamorgan’s wealth.
The statue of Minerva represents mining with the chariot riding Neptune symbolising navigation.
Llandaff Cathedral - 1120
The burial site of three Welsh saints, the cathedral was built on the site of a church.
The building has seen a lot of drama over the last millennium. It has been badly damaged several times including being bombed during the blitz, as well as being damaged in Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion and the English civil war.
National Museum Cardiff - 1927
Back to Cathays Park again!
The museum is another iconic building in the city centre and is a regular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
The high steps also provide a great place to spot friends and family after the Cardiff Half Marathon.
The building's construction actually started in 1912 but because of the First World War, it did not open until 1927.
Park House - 1874
Like generations of drunken students on their way into town along Park Place you may have walked past this building without noticing.
Yet another design by legendary architect William Burges.
Part of the reason why the house is so well known is that it contains one of the few errors Burges ever made. Namely the fact that when visitors entered the building they come face to face with the underside of the staircase.
Despite this, the style was widely copied in Cardiff and beyond.
Now a restaurant, it was described by Cadw as "perhaps the most important 19th Century house in Wales".
Pierhead Building - 1897
Located down in the Bay it is almost a surprise that, unlike seemingly half this list, the building wasn't designed by William Burges.
However his fingerprints are on it as the architect, William Frame, was mentored by Burges.
It was built as a headquarters for the Bute Dock Company (renamed the Cardiff Railway Company in 1987) after the other headquarters burnt down.
The building has several intricate details including terracotta gargoyles in the form of a dragon.
The coat of arms on the building shows the Cardiff Railway Company's motto "wrth ddŵr a thân" which means by water and fire. This is said to have encapsulated the steam power which transformed Wales and pumped out the raw materials that helped build the world.
The ruins of the Old Bishop’s Palace - 1266
The remains of the ruined residence of the bishops of Llandaff are not far from the cathedral.
It was probably destroyed during the English civil war and architecturally resembles Caerphilly Castle.
It is dated to about the time of William de Braose who became Bishop of Llandaff in 1266.
It is believed the Palace was attacked and damaged by Owain Glyndŵr in the rebellion of 1402–05.
St John the Baptist Church - 1460
At the beating heart of the Welsh capital, this is one of only two medieval buildings in the city centre (the other being Cardiff Castle).
Topping 40m high it is still in regular use for over 500 years since it was built.
St Fagans Castle - 1590's
Based (as you would expect) in St Fagans, it is built on the site of a 13th Century castle that was in ruins.
Sir Edward Lewis of The Van bought the house in 1616 and some of the interiors still date to that time. In 1850 it became the summer residence of the Windsor-Clive family.
The castle grounds are now St Fagans National Museum of History.
St German's Church - 1884
This little gem is hidden away in the maze of terraces in Adamsdown.
Designed by George Bodley, there was a church on the site since 1857 which was inside a converted barn! It was known by the locals as Splott Chapel.
When demand increased the current building was constructed.
It contains a finely carved and painted organ case which was recently restored.
St Margaret’s Church - 1870
Set back from the road where Albany Road meets Newport Road this church was completed in 1870 though the tower was completed in 1926.
This church has a long history dating back well beyond this construction date.
There was a chapel on the site known as the “Chapel of Raht” in the early 1100’s.
In 1868, the third Marquess of Bute, brought in local architect John Prichard (restorer of Llandaff Cathedral), to build a Gothic church.
The new church opened, to great acclaim, in 1870 and also includes the mausoleum of the Marquises of Bute.
St Mellons Church - around the 13th century
The church has technically been standing for about 800 years however none of the original materials makes up substantial parts of the church anymore.
The only parts of the church that remain from its original construction are the base of a high cross in the churchyard and the base of the font.
In the 1800s the church underwent a series of restorations that remained true to its medieval designs.
Some doors are believed to be made from the wood of warships dismantled at Dover after World War I.
