Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff
Two miles from the centre of Cardiff, in a hollow below a village green by the River Taff, stands one of the oldest Christian sites in Britain. Llandaff Cathedral has been ruined by rebels, storms and a German bomb, and rebuilt each time. Its great surprise is inside: a concrete arch across the medieval nave, carrying Jacob Epstein’s aluminium Christ in Majesty.
An ancient site, a troubled history
A Christian community is said to have been here since the sixth century, associated with the Welsh saints Dyfrig, Teilo and Euddogwy, to whom the cathedral is still dedicated, along with St Peter and St Paul. The present building was begun by the Norman bishop Urban in 1120, and the west front was added around 1220. The Lady Chapel followed later in the thirteenth century.
Then came centuries of damage. Owain Glyndŵr’s rebels attacked in the early fifteenth century, Parliamentary troops used the cathedral during the Civil War, and storms in 1703 and the 1720s left it half in ruins. John Wood of Bath built a classical ‘temple’ inside the walls in the 1730s, which was never finished; between 1843 and 1869 John Prichard restored the cathedral in Gothic style, adding the spire in the late 1860s.
The visitor's cheat sheet
| Where | Cathedral Close, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2LA |
|---|---|
| Getting there | About 2 miles north-west of Cardiff city centre; buses from the centre; the Taff Trail through Bute Park |
| Opening hours | Monday to Saturday 8am–5.30pm; Sunday 8am–4pm |
| Admission | Free; donations welcome |
| How long | 45 minutes to an hour |
| Best time | A weekday, or Evensong to hear the choir |
| Dress code | No rule; respectful dress in a working cathedral |
| Tours | Self-guided; guided tours by arrangement |
Hours and admission checked against the official site in October 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.
The parachute mine. In January 1941, during the Cardiff Blitz, a German parachute mine exploded near the cathedral and blew off the roofs of the nave, the south aisle and the chapter house. Only Coventry, among British cathedrals, was more badly damaged in the war.
What to see, in the order you meet it
The west front
Come down the hill from the green to the west front of about 1220, with a weathered statue said to be of St Teilo. To its north is the Jasper Tower, named after Jasper Tudor, uncle of Henry VII; to its south, Prichard’s Victorian tower and spire.
The nave and the Majestas
Inside, the view down the nave is cut by George Pace’s parabolic concrete arch, which carries a cylindrical organ case with Epstein’s sixteen-foot Majestas fixed to it. Pace wanted the arch to keep a sense of mystery, so that you see the east end through and around it. Christ looks out over the heads of the congregation, towards the west door and the world beyond.
The Pre-Raphaelites
Llandaff has an unusual collection of Pre-Raphaelite art. Look for Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s triptych The Seed of David, and for stained glass and painted panels by William Morris’s firm and its circle, from Prichard’s restoration.
The Lady Chapel
At the east end is the Lady Chapel, built in the later thirteenth century, with a painted vault and a gilded reredos. Nearby are the tombs of St Teilo and medieval bishops.
Visiting
Free to visit
There is no admission charge. The cathedral is open daily from 8am, closing at 5.30pm (4pm on Sundays).
The hotel link goes to Booking.com. This site earns nothing from it at present — it is here because it is the quickest way to check what is actually available.
Don't miss
- The Majestas Epstein’s aluminium Christ.
- Pace’s arch Concrete across a medieval nave.
- The Seed of David Rossetti’s triptych.
- The Lady Chapel Thirteenth-century, with a painted vault.
- The Jasper Tower Named after Henry VII’s uncle.
- Llandaff green With the ruins of the bishop’s castle.
Insider tips
Walk in along the Taff. The Taff Trail runs from Cardiff Castle through Bute Park to Llandaff in about 40 minutes, and makes a far better approach than the main road. On the green, look for the ruined gatehouse of the medieval bishop’s castle.
Common questions
Does it cost anything to visit Llandaff Cathedral?
No. The cathedral is free to visit, and donations are welcome. Guided tours can be booked through the cathedral office.
When is Llandaff Cathedral open?
Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5.30pm and on Sunday from 8am to 4pm. Visitors are asked to be respectful during services.
What is the Majestas?
A sixteen-foot figure of Christ in Majesty, cast in aluminium, by the sculptor Jacob Epstein. It stands on a concrete arch across the nave designed by the architect George Pace, part of the rebuilding of the cathedral after it was bombed in 1941. The nave was rehallowed in 1957.
What happened to the cathedral in the war?
In January 1941, in the Cardiff Blitz, a German parachute mine fell nearby and blew the roof off the nave, the south aisle and the chapter house. The cathedral was rebuilt after the war under George Pace.
How do you get to Llandaff?
Llandaff is about two miles north-west of Cardiff city centre. Buses run from the centre, and Fairwater and Danescourt stations are a walk away; you can also walk or cycle along the Taff Trail through Bute Park. The cathedral is down the hill from Llandaff’s village green.
Where to stay and eat nearby
Llandaff village has cafés and pubs around the green; central Cardiff, a short bus ride away, has a wide choice of hotels.
More churches in Wales
- Tintern Abbey — an hour away in the Wye Valley
- St Davids Cathedral — at the western tip of Wales
- Coventry Cathedral — another cathedral rebuilt after the Blitz