Tucked away in the suburbs of western Cardiff is the ancient cathedral seat of Llandaff. Easily…read moreoverlooked, it's a charming, quiet spot, with a village-like feel and, unlike many cathedral towns, is not over-run by tourists. The cathedral itself is smaller and more intimate than many of its English equivalents. Until the late 19th century a small town in its own right, Llandaff is one of the oldest Christian sites in the UK, with a colony founded by St Dyfrig in the 6th Century. His leadership was followed by St Teilo and St Euddogwy (great names, these Welsh saints..) and these three now form part of the Cathedral's dedication, along with St Peter and St Paul. The present building was begun in 1107 after the Norman conquest, to replace the earlier church, of which only a stone cross survives. The Norman church was itself rebuilt in the early 13th century, and the bulk of the fabric dates from this period: the Nave and West Front were completed by 1220. The Lady Chapel was added in 1287 and the outer aisle walls rebuilt, and the square Jasper Tower completed in 1485. After the reformation, the church fell into ruin as the income from pilgrims to the shrine of St Teilo dried up. After a partial (and rather unsympathetic) restoration in the 18th century, a more complete restoration in the 19th century delivered much of what can be seen to-day, as well as its pre-Raphaelite furnishings, most notably a triptych by D G Rossetti and a ceramic reredos by Burne-Jones. Unfortunately, the cathedral was brought to almost complete ruin again in January 1941, when it received a direct hit during a bombing raid. The subsequent rebuilding largely restored the earlier fabric, but with one spectacular addition: a new organ case built on a concrete arch in the centre of the nave, surmounted with a huge aluminium statue of 'Christ in Majesty' by Sir Jacob Epstein. Love it or hate it (and I think I'm in the latter camp), it now defines the interior cathedral space, and it certainly unique and dramatic. And the effect when it is played is equally astonishing - like many cathedrals, Llandaff is best experienced with music, and there is an active programme both of sung services and concerts - see web-site for details. Although there is a small shop, there are no catering facilities, but there are a few cafes in the surrounding streets: why not treat yourself to a traditional Welsh tea after a visit?

I can't quite believe I'm reviewing a cathedral, but this building is truly stunning (as a child I…read moreactually believed it to be a fairy castle)! The moment you set eyes on Llandaff Cathedral you know it's something special, and what's particularly lovely about this Cathedral is its many different visual perspectives. Be it through the trees, over the river, or standing at the entrance with it looming over you, this building never fails to impress. Once inside you are immediately confronted with a gigantic statue of Christ by the sculptor Epstein, which hangs in the center. Whilst this statue has divided opinion amongst critics and visitors alike, you cannot truly claim that you've ever seen anything like it before. Such is the fame of Llandaff Cathedral that the Magic of Wales shop in Disney's Epcot actually sells postcards of this famous Llandaff site (you learn something new everyday). You don't however have to venture over to Florida if you're after a postcard, the cathedral does have a small shop which in addition to postcards, sells things such as hymn books, and information guides concerning Llandaff Cathedral. No matter what your religious beliefs, if you're visiting Cardiff this is one site which is definitely worth a visit.

Once upon a time, when I was shorter (although maybe not a lot) and had longer hair (a lot), I was…read morea Brownie in the church hall here. I had some really great times, as I recall; playing fruit salad and the chocolate bar game. Making pancakes and flower displays for mother's day... good and simple times were had by all. The church building itself is raised up on a little hill on the corner of Conway road, so has a particularly grand appearance when you first approach, with its steps running up to the main door. Inside, it is a very beautiful example of church-dom. Over the years I've been to a handful of services here, mostly at Christmas time (it was a tradition for me and my visiting Grandma), I 'll have to admit. The service style is fairly traditional, exactly what you might expect from a Methodist church really: that blend of timelessness with a more modern blend of humanity creeping through. Although the congregation is not huge, there are a lot of children at this church who are very well catered for.

This church, right next to Cardiff's covered market, is the oldest remaining medieval building in…read morethe city after Cardiff Castle, dating back to around 1180. In the middle of the 15th Century the church was renovated (after the eleventh century building was destroyed by the troops of Owain Glyndwr!) and was given a prominent perpendicular tower with a peal of ten bells. If you're browsing around the city centre, and passing Cardiff Market, it's well worth taking in the architectural and historical features of the church even if you don't have a religious bone in your body - and perhaps even taking a peek inside. You can go indoors from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 2.30pm. There's a tea room in the church Vestry, too, open every week day - serving reasonably priced home made cakes and sandwiches, which you can eat out in the pleasant church grounds on a sunny day.

This is a beautiful old building situated in the very centre of Cardiff, and serving as a…read moredistinctive landmark. St John the Baptist Church is over 800 years old and has watched the rest of Cardiff grow up around it. Yet, it manages to remain just as impressive as ever. This church is a lovely place to visit and is staffed my very welcoming volunteers. There is a small tearoom also situated in the building, and it's a great idea to combine tea and cakes with a little bit of architectural appreciation. My favourite time to visit St John is Christmas. Around this time they extend their visiting hours and the church itself is filled with charity Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations to sell. For me, this is an essential part of Christmas that cannot be missed.

Wonderful structure.. Is s landmark for the cardiff market…read more. I went inside..very nice.. Well worth a few minutes of your time to explore it..

I first went to Highfields Church in Roath with a friend, as it's in a area I really don't know…read morethat well at all. Immediately I felt welcomed and surrounded by a good group of people that I could easily relate to. This is an independent church with a quickly growing congregation with families, young people and older generations too. It is a very popular choice for students from Cardiff University, UWIC and Glamorgan. For these reasons there are lots of different activities going on for children, students, twenties, men and women. These range from sports and music activities to ambitious hikes up mountains. This is an outstanding church which really gives its all to the community around it.

A modern church and unique!…read more This church does not worship symbols, idols, or objects, nor do it use them to protect it's people. It has a cross at the heart of it, representing Jesus Christ and his eternal sacrifice. This church believes in Jesus Christ as the son of God, and God to be the father and the Holy Spirit and all are joined as one. They sing cheerful and heart warming songs, they have children groups, teenager groups, and adults groups. They even have Christianity Explored, suitable for the non-Christian folk. It is a massive church and the congregation is huge and possibly forever on growing. During the holidays there is a Holiday Bible club. The sermons are the best sermons I have ever had the pleasure to listen to! They are informative, and read along a passage or two from the bible. They are a missionary based church and plenty of missionaries are based around the world. Everyone is very friendly and they have coffee and tea in between the two services that take place during term time. During the summer holidays they have one service at 10:30am. The other services normally are at: 9:30am and 11:30am, there is always an evening service at 7:30pm.

Having sung in many concerts in this church over the years, I have a great fondness for the…read morebuilding and the people. Year after year concerts have been put on very efficiently and to a great response. If you ever see that this church is hosting some musical event, then it's most likely worth checking out. This church is a very welcoming and comforting space in a modern, yet traditional, style. The acoustics are great and when the sunlight streams in during the evening, it can be breathtaking. In terms of actual services, his is a Methodist church and sticks to that format quite rigorously. While certainly not swinging incense and chanting in Latin, this church is still quite traditional. In fact, it conforms to that idea of church services that most of society seems to adhere to. Methodist churches also have a reputation for being good with families and children, and I'm sure this one is of no exception. With o congregation of about 90, this is a pleasant local church, good for both events and worship.

St David's the newer and smaller of Cardiff's two cathedrals but, unlike the ancient foundation of…read moreLlandaff, several miles to the north-west, St David's is at the heart of the modern city. History The growth of Cardiff during the industrial revolution saw a growing mission by the Roman Catholic Church to the population of this burgeoning city. From 1839 a support fund for a new church was developed, augmented by fund-raising in Ireland, and the first church was consecrated on a site in David Street in 1842. It was named after the Principality's patron saint at the request of Lady Catherine Eyre of Bath, a major benefactress. By the end of the century, however, it was becoming too small for the growing congregation, and the present building was erected in Charles Street. It was opened in 1887 to designs by the architectural firm Pugin & Pugin. It contained elaborate furnishings in the Neo-Gothic style, with the High Altar and Reredos alone costing the then substantial sum of £1,000. In 1915, Cardiff was designated an Archdiocese and in 1920 St David's was designated the cathedral. However, the cathedral was destroyed during an enemy air-raid on 3rd March 1941. Rebuilding began in 1953, and St David's reopened in 1959, albeit with furnishings in a more modern style. The Church The church is designed in a restrained, Decorated Gothic style. The exterior is executed in rock-faced Pennant stone with red sandstone ashlar dressings. The interior consists of a single large nave, with a large chancel arch leading into a small sanctuary, and a large stone west gallery supported on two substantial piers. The walls have arches to each bay, some housing confessional boxes, others small chapels. The most interesting decoration is the stained glass, some of which was saved from the original building.

How many people realise that Cardiff has two cathedrals The one at Llandaf has been with us since…read moremedieval times and there many good revues . There is also a cathedral in Charles street the RC cathedral of St. David and it seems to have been left out of any reviews Let me put the record straight. St David's Metropolitan cathedral in Charles street is a recent edition to the architectural scene as it was first opened in 1842. Both cathedrals suffered from enemy action in world war two. Llandaf was bombed and St.Davids was set on fire by incendiary bombs and more or less destroyed. It was reopened in 1969 As cathedral's go it is a small edifice but makes up for any deficiencies by being in the centre of Cardiff . An addition advantage is that it is open all day. Inside it is a haven of peace and tranquillity from the busy city exterior. You will find people loaded with shopping popping in for a rest or a silent prayer. The cathedral also boasts of a first class boys and men's choir the boys are trained at St Johns cathedral School in Cardiff and give a yearly concert at St' David's hall around Christmas time There are two CD's available of the choir in the Catholic truth Society shop which is adjacent to the cathedral The choir also performs at most of the many cathedral services full details of these can be found on the Cathedral's website. A good place to pop in for a rest.

Got a big a birthday bash coming up and don't want to make your white carpet grey with wine-stain…read morehighlights? Yes? A: Hire a hall. St.Catherines hall has many uses. I've been to a rug bizarre here, been meaning to try out the Steiner toddlers group on a Thursday morning and have been to a 40th at this venue. The hall itself is oblong and a good size, it has power points and a kitchen, tables, chairs and toilets. One of the things I really like about St.Catherines is that there's a grassy outdoor area punctuated by trees for children to run around on and partied out adults to loiter. As well as it's use by Steiner groups, craft bizarres and for private venue hire, the hall is also used for judo, live music and 'disco tots'. Call the hall for more details about any of these activities and functions or if your passing have a look at the notice board by the entrance for more details.

Been to a few things here and thought it was a good hall so booked for my daughters party. Lady in…read morecharge was very helpful, it's a great size and well equipped with tables, chairs, mugs and kitchen equipment. Out door space is lovely on a sunny day and there is some parking available. The hall is clean and in good condition and not as 'tired' as some I've been to. Would definitely recommend.