Roald Dahl Plass () is a public
plaza in
Cardiff Bay, part of
Cardiff,
Wales. It is named after Cardiff-born author
Roald Dahl, and is located on the coast along the south of the city centre. The square is home to the
Senedd (
Welsh Assembly Building) and the
Wales Millennium Centre, a
performing arts centre. The bowl-like shape of the plaza has made it a popular
amphitheatre for hosting open-air
concerts.
Formerly named the
Oval Basin, the area was one of the docks for a thriving
coal port during the latter half the 19th century and much of the 20th century. Following
World War II, the plaza entered a period of decay and dereliction until the 1980s, when the Cardiff Bay area was
regenerated.
"Plass" means plaza in
Norwegian, a nod to the acclaimed writer's roots (both of Dahl's parents were from
Norway) and to the
Norwegian seafarers' church which stands nearby.
History
The area was originally all
wetlands owned by
John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute. He was persuaded to finance construction of the dock on his land at a cost of over
£ 350,000. The dock opened under the name "West Bute Dock" on 8 October 1839, and was over 1400 yards (1280 m) long and 200 feet (60 m) wide, allowing 300 vessels to berth at any time.
The dock was...
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