Animal Wall

The Animal Wall stands in Cardiff’s Castle Quarter, just west of the castle entrance. It is a sculpted wall with fourteen animal figures set into its stonework. Originally designed in the 1860s by William Burges, the wall was completed in the 1890s under his assistant William Frame. The first nine sculptures were carved by Thomas Nicholls, including a hyena, two baboons, a seal and two lions. In 1931, Alexander Carrick added six more animals: a pelican, an anteater, two raccoons, a leopard and a beaver. The wall was moved about fifty metres in 1922 to make way for wider roads. The wall is worth visiting because it reflects the partnership between the third Marquess of Bute and Burges. The marquess, one of the richest men in the world by his twenty-first birthday, funded the rebuilding of Cardiff Castle and the creation of the Animal Wall. Burges intended the wall to form part of a Pre-Raphaelite garden, though only the wall and its animals were completed. The sculptures were once painted in lifelike colours, but the paint faded and was removed. In 2010, the animals were restored, with missing parts like the anteater’s nose replaced. Visitors find the wall beside Bute Park, where the fourteen animal figures stand at eye level. The original nine animals include a bear, a lioness and a lynx, while the later additions feature a vulture and two raccoons. The wall’s Grade I listing recognises its importance as part of Cardiff’s heritage. Nearby, the castle grounds and park provide a green setting for a stroll past the sculptures. The animals’ expressions and postures give the wall a lively character, making it a quiet but engaging stop in the city centre.