Mermaid Quay facts for kids
Pizza Express at Mermaid Quay
|
|
| Location | Cardiff, Wales |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°27′49″N 3°09′54″W / 51.46355°N 3.16504°W |
| Opening date | August 1999 |
| Developer | Sovereign Land and Schroder Exempt Property Unit Trust |
| Owner | Schroder Exempt Property Unit Trust |
| Total retail floor area | 14,000 m2 (150,000 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | 380 |
Mermaid Quay (which means "Mermaid's Quay" in Welsh) is a fun place by the water in Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales. It's a popular spot for shopping and having a good time. This area opened in 1999 and is about 14,000 square meters big.
You can find many exciting things to do at Mermaid Quay. There are lots of restaurants, cafes, and shops to explore. It's a great place to visit with friends and family.
Contents
History of Mermaid Quay
Mermaid Quay was a big part of making Cardiff Bay a new and exciting place. This project was led by the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC). The CBDC was set up in 1987 to help fix up old, unused docklands in Cardiff and Penarth.
From Old Docks to New Waterfront
These docklands were once the world's largest port for exporting coal. The goal was to turn this old industrial area into one of Europe's biggest waterfront developments. This was part of a plan by the British government to improve run-down city areas.
Before 1999, Cardiff Bay was very different. It was a tidal area, meaning that when the tide went out, large muddy areas would appear. To change this, a huge project called the Cardiff Bay Barrage was built. This barrage is like a big dam that holds back the sea.
Building the Barrage
Building the Cardiff Bay Barrage was one of the largest engineering projects in Europe. When it was finished in 1999, it turned Cardiff Bay into a large freshwater lake. This lake is about 500 acres big and has 8 miles of waterfront to enjoy.
The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum used to be in this area. It showed exhibits about Wales's history with industry and the sea. The museum building was taken down to make space for the new development. Luckily, the museum's collection was saved. Most of it is stored safely, and some items are now on display at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
Modern Development and Design
Mermaid Quay was designed by architects called Benoy. It officially opened its doors in August 1999. Since then, many other new buildings and areas have been built in Cardiff Bay. This includes new roads, famous buildings, and places for homes and businesses.
Mermaid Quay in Media
Cardiff Bay and Mermaid Quay are very popular places for filming TV shows. You might have seen them in famous BBC science fiction dramas. These include Doctor Who and its spin-off show, Torchwood.
In Torchwood, the secret entrance to the underground Torchwood 3 Institute is shown in Roald Dahl Plass. This is a public space right in the heart of Mermaid Quay.
Getting to Mermaid Quay
It's easy to get to Mermaid Quay using different types of transport.
- Train: Trains run every 12 minutes between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Queen Street stations. From Cardiff Queen Street, you can connect to other parts of Cardiff and nearby areas.
- Boat: You can take a boat to Mermaid Quay! The Aquabus and Cardiff CATS offer Cardiff Waterbus services. The Aquabus travels from the city centre, and the Cardiff CATS travels from Penarth.
- Bus: Many Cardiff Bus services go to Mermaid Quay. The BayCar service is very popular and runs from the city centre every 10 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays. It runs every 20 minutes on Sundays and in the evenings.
- Cycle: There are special paths for bikes that lead to Mermaid Quay. You can cycle from the City Centre or from the Cardiff International Sports Village. There are also many places to park your bike when you arrive. Transport for Wales even lets you bring your bike on trains between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Queen Street.
- Car: If you come by car, Mermaid Quay has a car park with 380 spaces. It's located right across from Techniquest, a fun science discovery centre.
Gallery
-
Fireworks in Roald Dahl Plas
-
Night time in Mermaid Quay
-
Diners at Mermaid Quay
-
Yachts at Mermaid Quay
.jpg)
