The Vulcan, Cardiff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Vulcan Hotel |
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The reconstructed Vulcan in 2024
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| Alternative names | The Vulcan Pub |
| General information | |
| Type | Public House |
| Town or city | Cardiff |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°28′42″N 3°10′09″W / 51.478383°N 3.169052°W |
| Completed | 1853 |
| Demolished | 2012 (deconstructed) |
The Vulcan Hotel is a very old building that used to be a hotel and a pub (a place where people meet and drink). It was located in Adamsdown, a part of Cardiff, South Wales. In 2009, people planned to knock it down. But many people wanted to save it because it was one of Cardiff's oldest pubs still open. So, in 2012, it was given to the National History Museum at St Fagans. It took ten years to carefully take the pub apart and put it back together again at the museum. It finally opened its doors again on May 11, 2024.
Contents
The Vulcan Hotel's Story
Building the Pub
The Vulcan Hotel was built a long time ago, in 1853. This was when the city of Cardiff was growing, especially in an area called Adamsdown. Its first address was on Whitmore Lane in a place called Newtown. The pub was named 'Vulcan' after the ancient Roman God of Fire. This name was chosen because there were ironworks (factories that made things from iron) very close by.
A Busy Place
The pub was near a busy train station called Queen Street. It was also close to Cardiff Gaol (a prison). The Vulcan was in a part of the city where many people who worked in factories and other jobs lived. It was often very busy during lunchtimes and in the early evenings. People who worked nearby would often visit.
Changes Over Time
Around 1900, the building was largely rebuilt. Then, in 1914, a local architect named F. J. Veall updated the inside. He decorated the pub with green and brown ceramic tiles. These tiles made the inside look nice and were easy to keep clean. While other old buildings around it were knocked down and rebuilt, the Vulcan Hotel stayed mostly the same, both inside and out. It only got new paint now and then. The pub even kept its old brown ceramic urinals, though the rest of the inside was updated in the 1950s.
In November 2007, a new university campus called the Atrium opened right across from the pub. This brought many new students and staff, giving the pub a lot of potential new visitors.
Awards and Recognition
The Vulcan Hotel was very popular. The local branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), a group that supports traditional pubs, voted it "Cardiff Pub of the Year" twice. It won this award in both 1997 and 2009.
