Interesting facts about Wales. Wales: interesting facts about the country

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 was 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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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 in 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.

Unspoilt, unpopulated, 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 seaweed) and 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, - the entrance to the picturesque coastal areas of the Gower Peninsula and the Pembrokeshire coastal national park(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 spotlights, 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 splitting of slate 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.

Historical facts about Wales

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

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 of Great Britain is located near Cardiff in the city of Llantrisant.

In 2004, the compilers of the Eurostat Statistical Compendium forgot about Wales. They have placed on their cover all the countries - members of the EU, though the UK, but without Wales. Instead, the Irish Sea appeared. Neither the European Commission in Cardiff nor the UK government commented on the incident.

Unusual festivals in Wales

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

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

Since July 1980, Lanurtyd Wells has hosted the 35-kilometer Man vs. Horse Marathon. People compete with jockeys on horseback. 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 would not yield to a horse in a long distance. Most interestingly, 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, ahead of the jockey by 11 minutes and 26 seconds.

Symbols of Wales

Since the 7th century, the leek has been considered a symbol of Wales. It was first used during battle by the Welsh on their helmets in order 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 consonant with the word narcissus, so this flower has also become a symbol of Wales.

The Welsh town was awarded the title of the city with the longest name of 58 letters. It reads "Llanfairpullgwingillgogerihuirndrobullllantisiliogogogoh" 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. A red dragon on a white and green background still protects Wales, which has never been a sovereign state.

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

And here's another interesting fact: the mathematician and physician Robert Record, who was born in Tenby, in southwest Wales, came up with the well-known signs "=", "+" and "-".

The facts show that great inventions are invented for fun. Thus, tennis known to us was invented in 1873 by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield to entertain guests at receptions. The game was called "lawn tennis".

Every country, every region of the world has a huge number of extraordinary and attractive facts. This part of the UK, like Wales, is no exception.

Sports competitions today do not surprise anyone. Even marathon races. However, what do you say about the Welsh marathon, in which runners compete with jockeys (riders, if anyone did not understand)? And such competitions have been held for thirty-five years. The initiator was the owner of one of the bars. By the way, in 1989, one cyclist overtook all horsemen over a long distance; in 2004 and 2007, runners were able to repeat this record.

The name "Wales" is rooted in the Old Germanic language, by the way, literally meaning "foreigner". Thus, the literal interpretation of this toponym is “a country of strangers, strangers”. This name, however, is not unique. Only in Europe will its analogues be Wallachia (in Romania) and Wallonia.

In Wales, a lot of old buildings (palaces, fortresses) have been preserved.

Welsh is one of the most difficult languages in the world, having been around since the days of the Celts. Wales is a bilingual region with many festivals.

except cultural monuments, customs and traditions, in this region of England there are many interesting corners of untouched nature. And if suddenly admiring nature bothers you, you can just go further along the roads of this wonderful region. Art workshops are located right along them.

And what-what, and Wales can quite boast of handicrafts. There are wooden spoons and all kinds of wool products. And souvenirs (including even from coal and slate).

This region is able to compare with the recognized centers of culinary arts. The national dishes of Wales are amazingly delicious.

The landscapes of Wales are a separate issue. It is almost all rural, but there is a very beautiful cities. St. Davids, for example, is the most small city Wales ... and it also has a beautiful cathedral. And the city of Swanzy is not just the largest, it also has the most beautiful coastlines, especially in the Pembrokeshire National Park.

Cardiff - the capital of Wales - is also very remarkable. The amazing architecture of the century before last is adjacent to modern shops, medieval castles. The coal mined not far from here helped the English merchant and navy at one time. Those who wish can go down into the mine and go on excursions there, where they will tell in detail how the developments were carried out in the past.

Finally, in these places you will find stunning, bright green hills, alternating with brilliant beaches, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, forests and caves.

07.10.2016

Wales is that part of the United Kingdom that does not seek independence at all. Unlike Scotland or Ireland, this region has never been a separate state. Attempts to unite it approximately in modern borders happened several times, but ended in defeat. Therefore, the gradual conquest of disparate kingdoms by the British and, as a result, the legal merger of Wales with England in the 16th century became final and was not subject to doubt. However, the Welsh retained their culture and traditions. This is confirmed by some Interesting Facts about themselves and about Wales.

Welsh (Welsh) is spoken by about 20% of the inhabitants of the region. Moreover, it is ubiquitous and is used in everyday life on a par with English. In addition to Great Britain, this language is also used in Argentina - in the province of Chubut, where Welsh immigrants live.
Music has an important place in the culture of Wales. A special place belongs choral singing which is known all over the world. Traditional musical instrument- triple (with three rows of strings) harp.
Saint David, a bishop and educator who lived in the 6th century, is considered the patron saint of Wales. His memory day is celebrated on March 1 and is an official holiday. The main parade takes place in Cardiff, where soldiers from the Royal Regiment take part.
Leek became in the 7th century. According to legend, before the battle with the Saxons, the ruler of the Welsh (according to another version - Saint David himself) ordered the soldiers to attach a branch of this plant to the helmet so that they could easily distinguish their own from opponents. The battle was then won, and the plant subsequently received national status. In the Welsh language, the same word means both the leek and the narcissus, similar in shape to the leaves. So the yellow-white flower in Wales is also respected.
Most castles per unit area are in Wales. Well-preserved - about a hundred, and almost disappeared remains - several times more. Most of them were built for defensive purposes.
The longest name in the world, consisting of 58 letters, is a village on the island of Anglesey. She is called Llanfair Pullwyngyll for short. full name translated from Welsh as "St. Mary's Church in a hollow of white hazel near a stormy whirlpool and the church of St. Tisilio near the red cave."
The sandy beach of Rossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea is one of the ten best beaches in the world. This is a beautiful corner of untouched nature surrounded by limestone cliffs.
The title of Prince of Wales until the 13th century was worn by the rulers of Wales. After its conquest by England, the title was given by King Edward I to his son, who was born in the castle of the Welsh city of Caernarvon.
The first Prince of Wales later became the King of Great Britain, and the tradition was fixed for centuries - this title is given to the heir to the throne, the first male child of the reigning monarch. But this does not happen automatically, but every time anew, after the status of the heir is recognized and all the formalities are observed. The wife of the heir to the throne becomes the Princess of Wales.

The Celts once lived in what is now Wales. The Germans called them Welsh and hence the name of the country. The inhabitants themselves call the country in Welsh - Cymru. Despite the fact that Wales has long and firmly connected with England and is part of the United Kingdom, he still managed to preserve his traditional culture. The Welsh language is considered very difficult to learn, but its use is strongly encouraged, because it is the language that binds people living in the same territory into a nation.