Cardiff is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff, and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingdom.
Located in the south-east of Wales and in the Cardiff Capital Region, Cardiff is the county town of the historic county of Glamorgan and in 1974–1996 of South Glamorgan. It belongs to the Eurocities network of the largest European cities.
A small town until the early 19th century, its prominence as a port for coal when mining began in the region helped its expansion. In 1905, it was ranked as a city and in 1955 proclaimed capital of Wales. Cardiff Built-up Area covers a larger area outside the county boundary, including the towns of Dinas Powys and Penarth.
Cardiff is the main commercial centre of Wales as well as the base for the Senedd. Cardiff Bay contains the Senedd building (home to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament) and the Wales Millennium Centre arts complex.
These fascinating black and white photos were taken by Ben Salter that show how Cardiff has changed from the 1970s.
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| Tiger Bay Fountain. A fountain that once stood at the entrance to the Bute Docks in Cardiff’s Butetown. Now relocated, and in Victoria Park, Canton. You don’t see adverts for cigarettes like this anymore, Cardiff, February 1971 |
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| A three coach DMU set at Bute Street Station. In those days this service ran between here and Coryton. Now it’s been replaced by a single coach unit shuttling between here and Queen St, Cardiff, July 1973 |
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| Low tide. Looking towards Cardiff docks before the barrage. A dredger is at work near Queen Alexandra dock, Cardiff, May 1973 |
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| Bridge buttresses that once supported the bridges taking the lines down to the eastern side of the Bute East dock. All gone, Cardiff, March 1974 |
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| Bute Street Station. Trains now use the platform opposite, Cardiff, November 1974 |
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