The Animal Wall built in 1890, in front of Cardiff Castle, with 9 animals was moved to Bute Park next to the Castle and 6 more animals added in 1922. One of the most photographed historic features in the City Centre of Cardiff Capitol of Wales.
"The Animal Wall, alongside Cardiff Castle, is one of the most delightful and photographed historic features in Cardiff. It was designed by architect William Burges for the 3rd Marquess of Bute and is much-loved by the people of the city.
The Animal Wall has inspired several literary works, most famously a story by Dorothy Howard Rowlands, which was serialised in the South Wales Echo and Express from 1933 and was enormously popular with a whole generation of children. Characters included William the seal, Priscilla the pelican, Martha and Oscar the monkeys, Larry the lynx and Romulus and Remus the two lions:" Text Source: (visit link)
"The Animal Wall was designed by William Burges in 1866, but it was not built until 1890, after Burges's death in 1881. The work of the restoration of Cardiff Castle and the building of the Animal Wall for the Marquess of Bute, was continued by his former assistant William Frame. The original nine animal figures were sculptured by Thomas Nicholls, they were the hyena, wolf, apes, seal, bear, lioness, lynx, and 2 different lions. They were painted in naturalistic colours, although since then the paint work on the sculptures has been removed.
The wall was moved about 50 metres (160 ft) from outside Cardiff Castle to its present location outside Bute Park in 1922, due to road widening in front of the castle in Duke Street and Castle Street (now the A4161).
In 1931 a further six animals were added; the pelican, ant-eater, racoons, leopard, beaver and vulture. They were all sculptured by Alexander Carrick.
In the 1970s Council planners had wanted to demolish the Animal Wall to widen the Castle Street again, but this idea was later abandoned.
As part of a £5.6 million refurbishment of Bute Park, restoration of the animals began in July 2010. During the repair, the anteater's missing nose, which has been missing since the late 90s, was replaced as well as the missing glass eyes in the nine original animals. This work was completed in October 2010" Text Source: (
visit link)
1-Animals
2-Buildings > Relocated Structures > WME94G : The Animal Wall - Cardiff Castle.
3-Business
4-Culture > Sculptures (Art)> Lion Statues > WME79P : Lioness - The Animal Wall, Cardiff, Wales.
5-Entertainment > Official Local Tourism Attractions > WMG94T : The Animal Wall - Visitor Attraction - Cardiff Castle, Wales
6-History
7-Measurment
8-Monuments > Statues (People)> Statues of Religious Figures > WMETWE : Sol - Roman God - Cardiff Castle.
9-Nature
10-Oddities > Satellite Imagery Oddities > WMN2AE : Animal Wall - Satellite Oddity - Cardiff, Wales.
11-Recreation
12-Signs
13-Structures
14-Technology > Internet > Wikipedia Entries > WMF2M8 : Animal Wall - Bute Park - Cardiff, Wales.
15-Waymarking Multifarious > Real World Reproduction > Photos Then and Now > WMEEJH : Cardiff Castle & Animal Wall - Wales.