CardiffStanding proudly in Cardiff’s rugby-loving city, where the Cardiff Arms Park for so long hosted the sport, the Millennium Stadium is now one of the world’s greatest sporting arenas.
With a 72,500 seated capacity, the state of the art stadium has a retractable roof, as well as two interchangeable playing fields that can be switched in less than 24 hours in order to guarantee the best possible quality of pitch.
English soccer cup finals have been held at the venue since work started on Wembley Stadium, and the Millennium Stadium has contributed to the revitalising of the capital of Wales. It is a stadium that Cardiff can be proud of.
Conversion work on the original Cardiff Arms Park began in 1997 with a view to the new stadium hosting the Rugby World Cup in 1999. The Millennium Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies in 1999, as well as the final, in which Australia beat France 35-12 in a one-sided match after the French had so memorably overcome New Zealand in the semi final.
The Arms Park was originally given to the people of Cardiff by Lord Bute in the nineteenth century. Cricket was played there from 1848 onwards and the city’s rugby club was founded in 1876. In 1885 and 1890, stands were erected, and rebuilt after World War II as a result of destruction caused during the war.
Wales won its first rugby Grand Slam in 1950, but the Cardiff Arms Park and Welsh rugby lore will always remember the 1970s as its golden age, with the likes of Gareth Edwards, Barry John and JPR Williams performing heroics in the red of both Wales and the British and Irish Lions, as well as – famously – for the Barbarians. In 1991, the Arms Park hosted its first Rugby World Cup before rugby’s flagship event returned to the city in 1999.
The historic city of Cardiff has undergone extensive recent development and enhancement, including the refurbishment of the dockside area. The waterside area of the city - incorporating a large bay and a small bay - is now extremely popular with businesses and private residents, as well as being used for many leisure activities.
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