Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth [ aberəstwɪθ ] is a Welsh seaside resort with 11,607 inhabitants ( 2001) on the Cardigan Bay. The city is the capital of the county of Ceredigion. The Welsh name of the city means " mouth ( of the river) Ystwyth ". The locals call their city often only "but".

History

Origin of the medieval town of Aberystwyth was the 1277 built directly on the north side of the mouth of the Rheidol on the rocky headland castle Aberystwyth Castle, the only ruins still exist. The castle was destroyed in the battle between the English and Welsh in the centuries to the English civil war several times and rebuilt. 1647 they finally stormed the parliament and dragged her a short time later final.

Today's Aberystwyth is located at the common mouth of the rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth. The Ystwyth actually flowed directly into Cardigan Bay, but was diverted back in the Middle Ages to the Rheidol to increase the amount of water and wash away in this manner an underwater obstruction at the harbor entrance. The harbor, now hardly been used yet important reference point for the Küstenschiffart for shipping lines to Ireland and even for transatlantic connections was once (for example, here Welsh emigrants embarked for passage to North America a ). He also served as a seaport for the once thriving Cardiganshire lead mines.

The connection of the city to the railway network in 1864 is due to the idea of the entrepreneur Thomas Savin. He could Aberystwyth thought of as glamorous seaside resort, only when a railway connection and a first class hotel existed. Savin both built and ruined themselves with it because no one came to live in the castle-like building. The bankrupt hotel finally got for a song in the possession of the University of Wales, founded in 1860, which had until then searched in vain for an affordable home.

When Thomas Savin project no commercial success was also granted, so wore his activities but help to make Aberystwyth known as a resort. The onset in the 1860s and 1870s construction was to expand the city to the north. As a result, a three-kilometer long was, of attractive houses lined beach promenade to the Constitution Hill.

Culture

Aberystwyth is the Aberystwyth University was founded in 1872 (about 7,000 students), and the National Library of Wales, a cultural center in Central Wales dar. Among the graduates of the University include the Nobel Prize for Chemistry and Frederick Soddy, the British heir to the throne Prince Charles. The National Library was established in 1907 by Royal Charter and receives still grants from the Royal Treasury. Greatest pride is the unique manuscript collection of over 30,000 rare manuscripts.

7.8% of the population speak according to the census of 2001 exclusively Welsh, other 35.8 % speak Welsh fluently in addition to English, 27.1% Welsh but can not or barely read and write. 29.3 % of the population say they can speak, read and write Welsh.

Tourism

The city can boast the same three viewing hill. The Pen Dinas is a hill fortress of the Iron Age. On the Penglais Hill the Welsh National Library, and University are headquartered on the summit of Constitution Hill to the north is a former amusement park with a park, restaurant, arcades and a camera obscura. From there you have the most beautiful view over the city and along the coast, who has inspired the painter William Turner. For the rise of a meandernder path has been constructed as part of the plant, which crosses the funicular three times on bridges.

Alternatively overcomes the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway, a funicular built in 1896 with 130 meters of altitude, the largest part of the increase from the promenade to the summit. For over 105 years, until the opening of the Cairngorm funicular railway in 2001, this was 237m with the longest funicular railway in the British Isles. A special feature of the course is designed to be continuous zweigeleisig. The cars each hold 30 passengers and carry the names of Lord Geraint and Lord Marks. In order to allow the landscaping of the trail, the web was almost completely laid in a trench. There are also around 12,000 tons of rock were removed. 1921, the drive of water ballast was converted to an electric motor.

Among the other attractions of the city include the ruins of the 1277 built on a hill overlooking the Sea Castle, the Ceredigion Museum with Welsh folk art and exhibits on the agricultural life and the three -kilometer-long beach promenade with all tourist facilities.

Twinning

Aberystwyth maintains twinning with the German town of Kronberg im Taunus and with the French town of Saint- Brieuc.

Trivia

A stranger welcomed mid-June 2006, the small town with a money rain. 20,000 pounds sterling fell in 20 pound notes down on passers-by who were happy about the sudden windfall. The modern Sterntaler- tale was accompanied by a voice that cried before, " Who wants to have given money? "

In 2008, Sue Jones -Davies was elected mayor of Aberystwyth, who had in Monty Python's Life of Brian comedy played in 1979 the role of Judith.

Sons and daughters of the town

Post town Preserved counties of Wales Dyfed Cairngorm Mountain Railway Saint-Brieuc Office for National Statistics BBC
23854
de