List of shopping arcades in Cardiff facts for kids

City of Cardiff, city of arcades

The upper level of Castle Arcade

Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is famous for its amazing indoor shopping areas called "arcades." People even call Cardiff the "City of Arcades" because it has more of these special indoor shopping streets than any other city in Britain! These arcades are really old, some built in the Victorian times (when Queen Victoria was in charge) and others in the Edwardian times (when King Edward was in charge). There are also newer, modern ones.

A long time ago, around the 1790s, Cardiff only had about 25 shops. Most people bought things from outdoor market stalls. But then, in 1858, the Royal Arcade opened. It was the first indoor arcade in Cardiff and it helped many more shops open up!

Today, Cardiff's old arcades are still very popular. New shops are opening, and existing shops are growing. This shows that these unique shopping spots are doing really well. The total length of all the shopping arcades in Cardiff's city centre is about 797 meters (that's over half a mile!).

Discover Cardiff's Shopping Arcades

Historic Victorian and Edwardian Arcades

Cardiff has many beautiful old arcades from the Victorian and Edwardian periods. These buildings are often very special and protected because of their history and design.

Name	Image	Opened	Entrances	What makes it special?
Central Market		1891	St. Mary Street Trinity Street	This big market was designed by William Harpur. It opened in 1891 and has lots of stalls. You can find fresh food, cooked meals, and many other goods here. Look for the large H. Samuel clock inside! Ashton's the fishmongers has been here since 1866.
Castle Arcade		1887	Castle Street High Street	Opened in 1887, this arcade is very old and important. It runs from Cardiff Castle to High Street. You'll find unique boutique shops, cafes, and even places selling crystals or fancy dress items. Some shops are on an upper level!
Dominions Arcade		1921	Queen Street Crockherberton Lane	This building is considered a landmark in Cardiff.
Duke Street Arcade		1902	Duke Street High Street Arcade	Opened in 1902, this arcade is right opposite Cardiff Castle. It connects to High Street Arcade. Here you can find hairdressers, bridal shops, and shops selling Welsh gifts.
High Street Arcade		1885	High Street St John Street	This arcade opened in 1886. It's known for its fashion stores, including designer clothes, unique styles, and vintage items. You can also find one of Wales's oldest surf and skateboarding shops here, called City Surf.
Morgan Arcade		1896	St. Mary Street The Hayes	Morgan Arcade opened in 1896. Many people think it's the best-preserved arcade in Cardiff. It has beautiful windows and original wooden shop fronts. You can find shops selling organic food and natural skincare products here.
Royal Arcade		1858	St. Mary Street The Hayes	This is the oldest arcade in Cardiff, built in 1858! Some of its original shop fronts are still there. It has independent shops like Wally's Delicatessen, which has been open for 50 years, and places selling Welsh textiles and gifts.
Wyndham Arcade		1887	St. Mary Street Mill Lane	This arcade opened in 1887. It has entrances on St. Mary Street and Mill Lane, which is near Cardiff's "Café Quarter." You'll find several restaurants inside this Edwardian arcade.

Modern Shopping Centres

Cardiff also has newer, larger shopping centres that are like modern arcades.

Name	Image	Opened	Entrances	What makes it special?
St. David's Centre		1981	Queen Street, Hill's Street Working Street Queens Arcade	St. David's Centre first opened in 1981. It is connected inside to Queens Arcade. A big extension called St. David's 2 opened in 2009, adding even more shops.
Queens Arcade		1994	Queen Street, Working Street St. David's Centre	Queens Arcade opened in 1994. It's built on the site of an old department store. This arcade is unique because its two levels are sloped, so what's the ground floor at one entrance becomes the upper floor at another!
Capitol Centre		1990	Queen Street	The Capitol Centre opened in 1990. It was built where an old cinema and theatre used to be.

Arcades of the Past

Some shopping arcades in Cardiff have changed or are no longer open today.

Name	Image	Opened	Closed	Entrances	What happened to it?
Queen Street Arcade		1866	1987	Queen Street Working Street	This arcade was next to a store called Allders. Both were taken down and then rebuilt to become the Queens Arcade we know today.
Andrews Arcade				Queen Street
Oxford Arcade		1970s	2006	The Hayes St. Davids Link
Queens West Shopping Centre		1987	Around 1994	Queen Street The Friary	This shopping centre still exists, but you can't walk through its mall corridors anymore. All the shops are now entered directly from the street. The top floor, which used to be a food court, is now one big shop.
Wharton Street Arcade (James Howells)		1924		Wharton Street Howells
Dickens Arcade				Castle Street	In the 1980s and 90s, this arcade had a cafe and a bookshop called Paperback Exchange.
Old Arcade		1835		Church Street	This arcade was next to a pub called The Old Arcade. The pub was named after this very old arcade!

See also

• List of places in Cardiff
• List of cultural venues in Cardiff