Our 9 Favourite Facts About Wales

If you’re considering a trip to Wales and interested in finding out more about our wonderful country, you might be interested in a few of our favourite facts about Wales. Wales has been home to many talented people over the centuries, excelling in a range of fields, all over the world.

1. The world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest is named after a Welshman, Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. The naming, in 1865, was in honour of his work as Surveyor General of India.
2. Robert Recorde of Tenby in Pembrokeshire was a physician and mathematician who invented the “equal to” sign.
3. All the statues surrounding Cardiff Castle are of animals. They form the Animal Wall, alongside the castle and were designed by architect William Burges for the 3rd Marquess of Bute.
4. Cardiff’s National Stadium of Wales, which opened in June 1999 has the largest retractable roof of any sports arena in the world.
5. Wales is believed to have more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world, so wherever you visit in Wales, you won’t be far from a castle!
6. The corgi dog (as favoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II) originates from Wales, cor-ci means dwarf dog.
7. The British royal family use Welsh gold for wedding rings, including The Prince of Wales’ marriage to Catherine Middleton in 2011 and in 2018 when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle.
8. Roald Dahl, the famous children’s author of favourites such as Matilda and the BFG, was born in Cardiff in 1916.
9. Sir Anthony Hopkins, star of The Silence of the Lambs, was born in Margam, a suburb of Port Talbot in 1937.