Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle Review

Like most castles, this one layers a mishmash of styles, in this case from the 11th century onward. The

result can feel clashing, from an austere Norman keep to an over-the-top Victorian mansion complete with

turreted tower. But taking each addition on its own, Cardiff Castle is dazzling. Take the tour of the Victorian

portion to discover the castle's exuberant side. William Burges (1827-81), an architect obsessed by the

Gothic period, transformed the castle into an extravaganza of medieval color for the third marquess of Bute.

The result was the Moorish-style ceiling in the Arab Room, the intricately carved shelves lining the Library, and

gold leaf murals everywhere. Look for the painting of the Invisible Prince in the Day Nursery; on first glance it's just a tree, but stare long enough and a man takes shape in the branches. Note the not-so-subtle rejection of Darwin's theory of evolution, represented by monkeys tearing up his book around the library's doorway. The vast grounds, which include beautiful rhododendron gardens and a habitat for owls and falcons, are sometimes the setting for jousting in summer.