The Pierhead building

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The Pierhead building

The Pierhead is a jewel in the Welsh Parliament's estate – a Grade I-listed building under Wales’s very own Big Ben.

Once the focalpoint of commerce in Wales, this majestic building has stood proud through over a century of Cardiff Bay’s unique and varied history. As a space to reflect our culture and a key venue for live discussion and debate, the Pierhead continues to play a central role in shaping Wales.

Aerial photo of docks and Pierhead building in 1929
Aerial view of docks and Pierhead building in 1929,
courtesy of the RCAHMW and its Coflein website

The Pierhead is now a unique visitor, events and conference venue for the people of Wales. Built in 1897, it was originally the headquarters of the Cardiff Railway Company, replacing the original Bute Dock Company offices which burnt down in 1892. Its architect was William Frame (1848-1906), who had previously worked with William Burges on refurbishing Cardiff Castle and reconstructing Castell Coch.

Cardiff’s docklands have witnessed many changes over the last century, yet the Pierhead has remained a central feature in this remarkable area. In these bustling rooms, accountants, hydrographers, surveyors and typists worked shoulder to shoulder to maintain what were once some of the most prosperous docks in the world.

The aerial photo, courtesy of the Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales, shows the Pierhead building (near the centre) surrounded by docks infrastructure in 1929. It is from the Aerofilms Collection of the National Monuments Record of Wales.

To the right of the building in the photo are the Bute West Dock entrance and basin - click here for our page about them.

As a backdrop to television news bulletins, the Pierhead is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Wales. Following extensive refurbishment, it now also offers visitors an opportunity to learn about its varied history, including how it has stood witness to incredible changes in Cardiff Bay, as it moved from being the country’s industrial hub to the seat of democracy in Wales.

Postcode: CF10 4PZ    View Location Map

Website of the Welsh Parliament

Copies of the old photo and other images are available from the RCAHMW. Contact: nmr.wales@rcahmw.gov.uk

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