Interesting facts about wales in English. Interesting facts about Wales

To the question Interesting historical facts about Wales asked by the author Cross-Eyed the best answer is The settlement of the country by the Celtic tribe of the Cymri, or Cumbrians (from the British *kom-brogi "compatriots"), who gave it the name Cymru, dates back to the 1st millennium BC. e. The Roman Empire, having captured Britain (1st century), had virtually no dominion in Wales, except for a narrow coastal strip in the southeast of the peninsula. The decisive event for the formation of the Welsh into a separate nation was the Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain, after which in the second half of the 6th century the Celts of Wales were cut off from the other Celtic tribes of the island. At the same time, the main Welsh clans were formed. In parallel with the unification of England in the 9th century, the first states laying claim to hegemony throughout Wales. Wales retained its actual independence until its subordination to England (1282-1284) under Edward I, who gave Wales as fief to his son, later King Edward II (1301). Since then, the heir to the English and then the British throne bears the title of Prince of Wales. A number of Welsh uprisings against English rule are known (the largest was led by Owain Glendwr at the beginning of the 15th century, depicted by Shakespeare in the chronicle “Henry IV”). The Welsh Tudor family, which actively participated in the Wars of the Roses, became the reigning dynasty in England in 1485. The final legal merger of the Principality of Wales with England occurred in 1536, under Henry VIII.
Since the 18th century, industrial Wales has become the center of the workers' movement, and on the other hand, the nationalist movement (the Plaid Cymru party - since 1925). The Welsh language was recognized as equal to English only in 1967.

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Wales (Welsh Cymru, English Wales, in the old Russian translation Wallis) is one of the four main administrative and political parts of Great Britain, in the past a conglomerate of independent Celtic kingdoms. Wales is located in the southwest of Great Britain, in the east it borders on the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, and is surrounded on three sides by the sea: in the south it is the Bristol Channel (the mouth of the Severn), in the southwest - St. George's Channel, in the north and to the west - the Irish Sea, to the northeast - the mouth of the River Dee (Afon Dyfrdwy).
The formal name of the country is the Principality of Wales (Tywysogaeth Cymru), but it is usually rarely used. Wales has never been a sovereign state within its current borders. True, from approximately 1057 to 1063, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn owned almost all of the lands that make up present-day Wales. After Gruffydd's death this did not happen again, and by the time of the Norman conquest of West Wales in 1282 the country was again divided into several kingdoms. In 1400, a descendant of two ancient royal families of Wales, Owen Glyndwr, led a rebellion against the English and was proclaimed King of Wales, but completely lost support by 1410 and was forced to go into hiding. Welsh laws were not completely supplanted by English ones until 1542. It was only in 1955 that the Queen officially proclaimed Cardiff the capital of Wales (before this, the country simply did not have a capital), although the Prince of Wales usually undergoes investiture in Caernarvon.
In 1997, the National Assembly for Wales was created, which has the power to amend laws passed by the UK Parliament. In 2006, the second Welsh Governance Act was passed, which expanded the powers of the Assembly.

Wales is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and is one of the 4 main administrative and political parts. It is located in the southwestern part of Great Britain and is washed by three seas at once, and also borders England.

There are many islands near Wales, but the largest of them is Anglesey. The background of the Welsh national flag is green and white, with a red dragon on top. Most of the population and industrial enterprises are located in the southern part of Wales, its capital is the city of Cardiff.

There are about 18 operating restaurants in the capital. They mainly serve lamb, seafood, and savory cheeses. In the center of the capital there is a picturesque Cathay Park, which houses various architectural structures and sculptures.

The concentration of population and enterprises in the south is due to the fact that the northern and central parts are mountainous. The highest point in the country is Mount Snowdon, which is hidden behind the clouds at 1085 m.

Wales is very rich in various deposits, in the south there is a large coal basin, in the southwest there are many mineral springs, large of them sulfur and salt.

In Wales, sheep are bred, the number of which is 4 times higher than the local population.

On the roads of Wales there are road signs, the inscriptions on which are presented in English and Welsh. Many sports are well developed in Wales. For example, the mountainous terrain allows for competitions in rock climbing and mountain biking. Competitions between people and jockeys on horses are held annually. Surfing competitions take place on the Gower Peninsula. The sport of golf is very popular in this country; there are already over 200 golf courses. There is a large football stadium, the Millennium, its capacity can reach 80 thousand people. If a football match took place in rainy weather, then the stadium is equipped with a retractable roof.

There are many ancient castles in Wales. The largest, most majestic and ancient is Caernarfon Castle.

The oldest building in the capital of Wales is the Church of St. John the Baptist, which was built in the 15th century. However, over such a long period of time, the church has been destroyed more than once; it contains the relics of the patron saint of Wales - St. David.

Wales is famous for its National Opera and various museums. The most interesting of them are the slate museum and the wool museum.

The largest lake is called Bala and has an area of ​​about 5 sq. km, its depth is 42 meters. In this lake, fishing lovers can not only have a good time, but also catch fish. Lake Bala is mainly inhabited by perch, pike, trout and carp. As you can see, the fish are different, there are even predators.

Culture and competitions are also given a lot of attention in Wales. For example, theater, literary, jazz, film festivals are held, and a song competition is held in the capital.

Wales is a picturesque country, most of whose territory is occupied by mountains. In the Welsh language its name is pronounced Cymru. Loosely translated, it means “land of friends.” The Welsh are a mysterious and contradictory people. They are passionate about family values, love rugby and pay great attention to creativity.

National characteristics and traditions of Wales

• Welch

The first thing that surprises those unfamiliar with the peculiarities of Wales is their language. Despite the fact that the country is part of the United Kingdom, at least 20% of the inhabitants continue to speak their ancient dialect. Even during Roman rule, the indigenous people had to learn Latin, which greatly influenced their language, which can still be seen with your own eyes. Welsh is deservedly considered one of the oldest European languages, and in the cities of Wales you can often find signs, signs and posters duplicated in it. Despite everything, over time, English is gradually replacing Welsh and today many activists are working to bring ancient traditions back to life, while not forgetting about modern culture.

• Welsh culture

The Welsh, like most Celtic peoples, love the arts. They are very musical, love the theater, are fond of oratory and do not refuse good poetry. They are great masters of writing and telling fairy tales. It was from here that many beautiful legends came to the world, for example, the story of King Arthur, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Wales is home to many gifted people who love to engage in various types of creativity, organize all kinds of festivals and enthusiastically participate in them.

• Holidays in Wales

We could talk for a very long time about the traditional holidays for which Wales and Great Britain are famous. Let's highlight the most interesting ones. First of all, this is the ancient Eisteddfod festival, dedicated to the rich culture of the Celts, song and poetry. For those who want to learn more about the mentality and cultural characteristics of Wales, visiting this holiday will be of great benefit. An important event is St. David's Day. On the holiday named after the ancient patron saint of Wales, residents wear daffodils on their clothes - the national emblem of the country.

• Indigenous mentality

More than one group of researchers has worked to characterize and describe the mentality of the Welsh. The last of them came to the conclusion that the indigenous population of Wales can be characterized as rude, unfriendly, and lacking in hospitality and politeness. In response to such unflattering results, the Welsh themselves always respond in the same way, complaining that foreigners do not perceive them as full citizens of Great Britain. In addition, they are distinguished by a calmer and more measured way of life, which is alien to the modern tourist. Judging by the research results, one thing is clear to us - too little is known about Wales and the contradictory mentality of its population. That is why everyone interested is strongly recommended to visit this picturesque, mysterious country and dispel the myth about the strangeness and unsociability of its inhabitants.

07.10.2016

Wales is that part of the United Kingdom that is not at all keen on independence. Unlike Scotland or Ireland, this region was never a separate state. Attempts to unite it approximately within modern borders happened several times, but ended in defeat. Therefore, the gradual conquest of scattered kingdoms by the British and, as a result, the legal merger of Wales with England in the 16th century became final and was not questioned. However, the Welsh retained their culture and traditions. This is confirmed by some interesting facts about themselves and about Wales.

1. About 20% of the region's residents speak Welsh. Moreover, it is widespread and is used in everyday life along with English. In addition to Great Britain, this language is also used in Argentina - in the province of Chubut, where Welsh immigrants live.
2. Music holds an important place in Welsh culture. A special place belongs to choral singing, which is known all over the world. The traditional musical instrument is the triple (with three rows of strings) harp.
3. Saint David, a bishop and educator who lived in the 6th century, is considered the patron saint of Wales. His memory day is celebrated on March 1 and is an official holiday. The main parade takes place in Cardiff, where soldiers from the Royal Regiment take part.
4. Leeks became popular in the 7th century. According to legend, before the battle with the Saxons, the ruler of the Welsh (according to another version, Saint David himself) ordered the soldiers to attach a branch of this plant to their helmet so that they could easily distinguish their own from their opponents. The battle was then won, and the plant subsequently received national status. In Welsh, the same word refers to both leek and the similar leaf shape of daffodil. So the yellow-white flower is also respected in Wales.
5. Wales has the most castles per unit area. There are about a hundred well-preserved remains, and several times more nearly disappeared remains. Most of them were built for defensive purposes.
6. The longest name in the world, consisting of 58 letters, is a village on the island of Anglesey. It is called Llanwyre-Pullgwyngill for short, and the full name is translated from Welsh as “The Church of St. Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the stormy whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave.”
7. The sandy beach of Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea has been named in the top ten best beaches in the world. This is a beautiful corner of untouched nature surrounded by limestone rocks.
8. The title of Prince of Wales was borne by the rulers of Wales until the 13th century. After his conquest by England, the title was given by King Edward I to his son, who was born in the castle of the Welsh city of Caernarvon.
9. The First Prince of Wales later became the King of Great Britain, and the tradition has been established for centuries - this title is given to the heir to the throne, the first male child of the reigning monarch. But this does not happen automatically, but every time anew, after the status of the heir is recognized and all formalities are met. The wife of the heir to the throne becomes the Princess of Wales.

The Celts once lived on the territory of modern Wales. The Germans called them Welsh and this is where the name of the country came from. The inhabitants themselves call the country in Welsh - Cymru. Despite the fact that Wales has a long and strong connection with England and is part of the United Kingdom, it still managed to preserve its traditional culture. The Welsh language is considered very difficult to learn, but its use is strongly encouraged, because it is the language that binds people living in the same territory into a nation.