Portal:Wales

Portal topics: Activities; Culture; Geography; Health; History; Mathematics; Nature; People; Philosophy; Religion; Society; Technology; Random portal

The Wales Portal

Wales (Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəmrɨ] ^ⓘ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west. As of 2021^[update], it had a population of 3.2 million. It has a total area of 21,218 square kilometres (8,192 sq mi) and over 2,700 kilometres (1,680 mi) of coastline. It is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate. Its capital and largest city is Cardiff.

A distinct Welsh culture emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales was briefly united under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055. After over 200 years of war, the conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England was completed by 1283, though Owain Glyndŵr led the Welsh Revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, and briefly re-established an independent Welsh state with its own national parliament (Welsh: senedd). In the 16th century the whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century: a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, was formed in 1925, and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. A governing system of Welsh devolution is employed in Wales, of which the most major step was the formation of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament, formerly the National Assembly for Wales) in 1998, responsible for a range of devolved policy matters. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

edit

Selected article

Caernarfon Castle (Welsh: Castell Caernarfon) is a medieval building in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. There was a motte-and-bailey castle in the town of Caernarfon from the late 11th century until 1283 when King Edward I of England began replacing it with the current stone structure. The Edwardian town and castle acted as the administrative centre of north Wales and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon's Roman past – nearby is the Roman fort of Segontium – and the castle's walls are reminiscent of the Walls of Constantinople.

The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English. Caernarfon was recaptured the following year. During the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, the castle was besieged. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. Caernarfon Castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. In 1911, Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and again in 1969. It is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd".

edit

Selected image

The Marloes peninsula on the Pembrokeshire coast, Wales

edit

Did you know...?

... that Welsh novelist Ron Berry once wrote a book about his observations of Peregrine Falcons?
... that a Welshman, Dai Davies, is the only person to have appeared in both the rugby league Challenge Cup final and the association football FA Cup Final?
... that as a condition of paying for restoration work, a 19th-century benefactor of St Mary's Church in Bodewryd required the church to have Islamic-style stained glass?
... that St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio was built as a chapel of ease for St Ceidio's Church, but both are now disused and St Mary's is in ruins?

edit

Selected quote

edit

Selected biography

Lloyd Owen (born 14 April 1966) is a British actor of Welsh descent. Trained at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, he is probably best known for his portrayal of Indiana Jones's father Professor Dr. Henry Jones, Sr. in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles between 1992 and 1993 and for playing Paul Bowman-MacDonald in the BBC Scotland television series Monarch of the Glen from 2002 to 2005. He played the role of solicitor William Heelis in the film Miss Potter (2006). However, his first love has always been the theatre. His first break on stage was the role of Nick in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1996. Other highlights of his stage career include playing Dan in Closer in 1998 and George in The York Realist in 2002. His most recent role was as Peter in Paul (2005). Growing up in a theatrical family, as a child Owen met many icons who were his father's friends, including John Conteh, Tommy Cooper, Ken Dodd, Ronnie Fraser, Richard Harris, Danny La Rue and Peter O'Toole.

edit

In the news

Wikinews Wales portal

General images

The following are images from various Wales-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Big Pit, National Coal Museum. (from History of Wales)
Image 2Tom Jones performing with Janis Joplin in 1969 (from Culture of Wales)
Image 3Standard of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, King of Powys 1063-1075. (from History of Wales)
Image 4Owain Glyndŵr (from History of Wales)
Image 5Harlech Castle was one of a series built by Edward I to consolidate his conquest. (from History of Wales)
Image 6Two of the furnaces of the Blaenavon Ironworks (from History of Wales)
Image 7Cawl, a Welsh dish of meat and vegetables (from Culture of Wales)
Image 8Gravestone of King Cadfan ap Iago of Gwynedd (died c. 625) in Llangadwaladr church (from History of Wales)
Image 9'The Welsh at Mametz Wood' painted by Christopher Williams, commissioned by Secretary of State for War at the time, David Lloyd George. (from History of Wales)
Image 10Offa's Dyke (Clawdd Offa) Map. (from History of Wales)
Image 11Roman invasion of Wales. (from History of Wales)
Image 12Market Day in Old Wales by Sydney Curnow Vosper (1910) (from Culture of Wales)
Image 13The Bard, 1774, by Thomas Jones (1742–1803) (from Culture of Wales)
Image 14The Flag of Saint David (from Culture of Wales)
Image 15King Hywel Dda depicted in a 13th-century manuscript (from History of Wales)
Image 16Medieval kingdoms of Wales shown within the boundaries of the present day country of Wales and not inclusive of all (from History of Wales)
Image 17Island of Britain in AD 500. (from History of Wales)
Image 18Red Dragon of Wales (from Culture of Wales)
Image 19Portrait of William Morgan. (from History of Wales)
Image 20Medieval crwth instrument (from Culture of Wales)
Image 21Crempog - Anglesey style (from Culture of Wales)
Image 22Facsimile of Part of Column 579 from the Red Book of Hergest (from Culture of Wales)
Image 23Caradog by Thomas Prydderch. Caradog led multiple celtic tribes against the Romans. (from History of Wales)
Image 24Senedd-Welsh Parliament, Cardiff Bay. (from History of Wales)
Image 25Owain Glyndŵr painting by AC Michael (from Culture of Wales)

edit

Wales topics

edit

Featured content

This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Wales}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.