Sophia Gardens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sophia Gardens |
|
|---|---|
| Gerddi Sophia | |
.jpg)
The Taff Trail long-distance cycle path in Sophia Gardens
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Type | Public park |
| Location | Cardiff, Wales |
| Area | 44 acres (18 ha) |
| Created | 1854 |
| Operated by | Cardiff Council |
| Status | Open year round |
Sophia Gardens (called Gerddi Sophia in Welsh) is a cool public park in Cardiff, Wales. It sits on the west bank of the River Taff. This park is famous for its cricket ground. Here, you can watch exciting international and county cricket matches. It is the home of the Glamorgan County Cricket Club.
Sophia Gardens is very close to Cardiff city centre. It is right next to Bute Park and Pontcanna Fields. A bridge called the Millennium footbridge connects it to Bute Park. This bridge was built in 1999. Besides the cricket ground, the park also has the Sport Wales National Centre. You can also find a public house, an exhibition area, and a large car and coach park.
Contents
Discovering Sophia Gardens' Past
Sophia Gardens has a long and interesting history. The park is named after a special person. She was Sophia Crichton-Stuart, Marchioness of Bute (1809–1859). She was the wife of the second Marquess of Bute. Lady Sophia cared a lot about providing green spaces for people. She wanted a place for fun and relaxation in Cardiff. The town was growing very fast in the 1800s.
How the Park Began
The gardens were created in 1854. They were built on what used to be Plasturton Farm. An architect named Alexander Roos designed them. Lady Sophia herself opened the park to the public in 1858. This was to make up for the Cardiff Castle grounds being closed. Around 1879, the park grew even bigger. It added another 28 acres to its northern side.
Sophia Gardens Through the Years
In 1947, Cardiff City Council bought the park. They bought it from the 5th Marquess of Bute. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the park hosted the Cardiff Horse Show. This was a popular event. In 1891, the famous Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show visited the park. It was part of his tour across British towns.
The Sophia Gardens Pavilion
A building called the Sophia Gardens Pavilion was built in 1951. It was made for the Festival of Britain. This pavilion was a popular place for concerts. Sadly, it collapsed in 1982 because of heavy snowfall.
Modern Use of the Park
Today, Sophia Gardens is still very important. Since 2015, long-distance coach services use the park. National Express coaches now arrive and depart from Sophia Gardens. This happened after the Cardiff Central bus station closed. The gardens are also listed as a Grade II historic park. This means they are very important for their history and design.
Images for kids
-
Opening ball of the 2009 Ashes series
