Interesting facts about wales. Wales - "land of friends", art and mountain landscapes

Wales is a picturesque country, most of which is occupied by mountains. In the Welsh language, its name is pronounced Cymru. Loosely translated, it means "country of friends." The Welsh are a mysterious and controversial people. They are sensitive to family values, love rugby and devote great attention creativity.

National features and traditions of Wales

• Welch

The first thing that surprises those who are unfamiliar with the peculiarities of Wales is their language. Despite the fact that the country is part of the United Kingdom, at least 20% of the inhabitants continue to speak their ancient dialect. Even during the Roman rule, the indigenous people had to learn Latin, which greatly influenced their language, which can still be observed with your own eyes. Welsh is deservedly considered one of the oldest European languages, and in the cities of Wales you can often find signs, signs and posters duplicated in it. In spite of everything, over time, English is gradually replacing Welsh, and today many activists are working to bring old traditions back to life, while not forgetting about modern culture.

• Culture of Wales

The Welsh, like most Celtic peoples, love the arts. They are very musical, love the theater, are fond of oratory and do not refuse good poetry. They are great masters at writing and telling stories. It is from here that many came into the world beautiful legends, for example, the story of King Arthur, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. There are many gifted people in Wales who love to practice different types creativity, arrange all kinds of festivals and enthusiastically participate in them.

• Holidays in Wales

You can talk about the traditional holidays that Wales - Great Britain is famous for for a very long time. We note the most interesting. First of all, this is the old Eisteddfod festival, dedicated to the rich culture of the Celts, song and poetry. For those who want to learn more about the mentality and culture of Wales, visiting this holiday will be of great benefit. An important event is the Day of St. David. On the holiday of the name of the ancient patron of Wales, residents wear daffodils on their clothes - the national emblem of the country.

• Indigenous mentality

More than one group of researchers worked on characterizing and describing the mentality of the Welsh. The last of them came to the conclusion that indigenous people Wales can be described as rude, unfriendly, not sparkling with hospitality and politeness. In response to such unflattering results, the Welsh themselves always respond in the same way, complaining that foreigners do not perceive them as full British citizens. In addition, they are distinguished by a more calm and measured way of life, which is alien to the modern tourist. Judging by the results of the research, one thing is clear to us - too little is known about Wales and the contradictory mentality of its population. That is why everyone who is interested is strongly recommended to visit this picturesque, mysterious country and dispel the myth about the strangeness and unsociableness of its inhabitants.

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 on England.

Near Wales there are many islands, but the largest of them is Anglesey. The background part of the national flag of Wales is represented by green and white colors, and on top of them is a red dragon. Most of the population and industrial enterprises are located in the south of Wales, its capital is the city of Cardiff.

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

The concentration of the population and enterprises in the south is due to the fact that in the northern and central part there is a mountainous area. 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, large of them sulfur and salt.

On the territory of Wales, sheep are bred, the number of which is 4 times the number of the local population.

On the roads of Wales are located road signs, the inscription on which is presented in English and Welsh. Many sports are well developed in Wales. So, for example, the mountainous terrain allows you to organize competitions in rock climbing and mountain biking. Every year there are competitions of people with jockeys on horseback. The Gower Peninsula hosts surfing competitions. Such a sport as golf is very popular in this country; more than 200 golf courses have already been equipped. There is a large football stadium Millennium, its capacity can reach 80 thousand people. If a football match falls on rainy weather, then the stadium is equipped with a retractable roof for this.

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

The oldest building in the capital of Wales is represented by the Church of John the Baptist, which was built in the 15th century. However, for 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 square kilometers, its depth is 42 meters. In this lake, fishing enthusiasts can not only have a good time, but also catch fish. Basically, perch, pike, trout and carp are found in Lake Bala. As you can see, the fish are different, there are even predators.

Culture and competitions in Wales are also given great attention. For example, theatrical, literary, jazz, film festivals are held, and a song contest is held in the capital.

Asked Interesting historical facts about Wales given by the author cross-eyed the best answer is The settlement of the country by the Celtic tribe of Cymrs, or Cumbrians (from the British *kom-brogi "compatriots"), who gave it the name Cymru, dates back to the 1st millennium BC. e. The Roman Empire, having captured Britain (I century), practically did not rule in Wales, except for a narrow coastal strip in the southeast of the peninsula. The decisive event for the formation of the Welsh into a separate nation was the Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain, after which, in the second half of the 6th century, the Celts of Wales were cut off from the other Celtic tribes of the island. At the same time, the main clans of the Welsh were formed. In parallel with the unification of England in the 9th century, the first states aspiring to hegemony in all of Wales were formed. Wales retained its actual independence until the subjugation of England (1282-1284) under Edward I, who gave Wales to his son, later King Edward II (1301). Since then, the heir to the English and then the British throne has been titled Prince of Wales. A number of Welsh uprisings against English domination are known (the largest - led by Owain Glendur at the beginning of the 15th century, depicted by Shakespeare in the chronicle "Henry IV"). The Welsh Tudor family, actively involved in the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, became the reigning dynasty in England in 1485. The final legal merger of the Principality of Wales with England took place in 1536, under Henry VIII.
From the 18th century, industrial Wales became the center of the workers, and on the other hand, the nationalist movement (the Plaid Camry party - from 1925). Welsh was recognized as an equal language with English only in 1967.

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Answer from chevron[guru]
Wales (Wall. Cymru, English Wales, in the old Russian program Wallis) is one of the four main administrative and political parts of Great Britain, in the past a conglomerate of independent Celtic kingdoms. Wales is located in the south-west of Great Britain, in the east it borders on the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, on three sides it is surrounded by the sea: in the south it is the Bristol Channel (the mouth of the Severn), in the south-west - St. George's Strait, in the north and in the west - the Irish Sea, in the northeast - the mouth of the River Dee (Afon Dyfrdwy).
The formal name of the country is Principality of Wales (Tywysogaeth Cymru), but it is rarely used. Wales has never been a sovereign state within its current borders. True, from about 1057 to 1063, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn owned almost all of the lands that make up today's Wales. After the death of Gruffydd, this did not happen again, and by the time of the Norman conquest of West Wales in 1282, the country had already been divided again into several kingdoms. In 1400, a descendant of two ancient royal families of Wales, Owen Glyndwr, led a rebellion against the British and was proclaimed King of Wales, but completely lost support by 1410 and was forced into hiding. Welsh law was not completely superseded by English law until 1542. Only in 1955 did the Queen officially proclaim Cardiff the capital of Wales (before that, the country simply did not have a capital), although the Prince of Wales usually undergoes an investiture in Cairnarvon.
In 1997, the National Assembly for Wales was created, which has the right to amend the laws that the UK Parliament adopts. In 2006, a second Governance for Wales Act was passed which expanded the powers of the Assembly.

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

Compound Welsh is a Celtic heritage supported by Wales' bilingual policy. Another Celtic tradition - singing and quoting poems - is supported by "eistedfods". 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 city, 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 bara brith (juicy fruit bread), laverbread (edible sea ​​kale) and young lamb.

Since the landscape of Wales is predominantly rural, "bed and breakfast" is offered by friendly farmers everywhere. Here you will be hospitably greeted wherever you go.

Despite the fact that Wales is an agricultural area, there are also cities. The smallest of them is St. Davidz (St. David "s), located in the valley of the southwest coast. The city received the status of "City" due to the presence of a cathedral in it that stores the relics of St. David, the patron saint of Wales.

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

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

Wales is famous for its castles. Many of them are 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 is an example of majestic medieval romanticism. The same master restored the castle of Coch (Castell Coch), located to the north of the city of Cardiff, designed 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: Caernarfon Castle, which was built as the official royal residence, and Conwy Castle, where medieval fortifications are still preserved, to the mouth of the river.

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

Gold has always been and continues to be the most rare mineral in Wales. The developments in the Dolaucothi Gold mines near the village of Pumpsant (Pumsaint) were made in Roman times, although gold was mined in them as recently as 1938.

However, the best attraction of Wales is its luxurious green hills, bordering mainly on sandy beaches, dotted with rivers and waterfalls, storing many lakes and reservoirs and crowned with mountain formations.

In the south at national park Brecon Beacon National Park includes four mountain ranges. There are high, open and forest gorges, waterfalls and caves, which are ideal for educational walks and spending time on fresh air.

Further west is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, a magnificent sandy coastal strip that nourishes life animal world nearby steep cliffs, following the path through which you get to the beautiful beaches. In the neighboring town of Tenby, there are not only beaches, but also many shops and other entertainment.

Toward the north lies Snowdonia National Park - encompassing such inspiring mountains, valleys and villages. The summit of Snowdonia is reached by train, except for serious climbers. Short walks from villages like Beddgelert and stations railway Ffestiniog Railway between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog will be pleasant for travelers.

Possible reduction in tourist flow to the UK
Tour operators expect a reduction in the flow of tourists to the UK by up to 50% in the first six months after the introduction of the rule, according to which biometric data must be provided to apply for a visa.

Speyside - Speyside - Whiskey Valley
The idea of ​​the trip was to see Speyside - the Spey Valley in Northern Scotland, where a good half of all Scotch malt whiskey is made.

Who was Richard the Lionheart?
Richard I (English) Lionheart was born in Oxford on September 8, 1157 in the family of Henry II Plantagenet and Eleanor (Eleanor) of Aquitaine (Guyenne).

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

The official name of this area is "Principality of Wales", but this option is practically not used. The very name "Wales" most likely comes from the original name of the 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 quite calmly communicate in the usual way for everyone English language. What distinguishes the local population is a great commitment to their culture and traditions. Numerous historical events did not affect Welsh culture, leaving it quite distinctive.

The main wealth of Wales can rightfully 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 of medieval times. By the way, there are unusually many castles here, they stand on almost every street. For example, it is here that the oldest castle in the whole of Great Britain, Chepstow Castle, is located. It began to be built in 1067. In Wales, you can also find the oldest monastery in Britain, Bangor-on-Dee, which was built as far back as 560. Quite impressive castles for tourists can be called 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 St. 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 a surprisingly long name. It consists of 58 letters and in translation means a detailed indication of the place where the church of St. Mary is located. Tourists from the first time cannot read such a name, but the locals are very proud of it and know all these 58 letters by heart.

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

Also, visiting , you can visit the 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 false stories, hoping to win and become the best liar.

Visiting Wales, whether it be several cities or just one Cardiff, you can learn a lot about this part of the UK. Inviting excursions, walks 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 the present.