Swansea

Swansea (Welsh, Abertawe), city in south Wales, a seaport on the River Tawe at its mouth on Swansea Bay (an inlet of the Bristol Channel). The harbour contains a ferry terminal for sailings to Cork, Republic of Ireland. At one extremity of Swansea Bay is the Mumbles lifeboat station. The decline in commercial maritime traffic has been offset by the development of a large yachting marina. Swansea remains an important industrial centre producing steel, non-ferrous metals, and motor-vehicle parts. A petroleum refinery and chemical works are located in the suburb of Llandarcy, and the national vehicle licensing centre is located in the suburb of Morriston. Swansea University (formerly the University College of Swansea, founded 1920) and Swansea Metropolitan University (2007) are in the city. Swansea has a number of museums and art galleries including Swansea Museum, the Maritime and Industrial Museum, and the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. Each October the Swansea Music Festival is held in the Guildhall, where murals by the artist Frank Brangwyn, originally intended for the House of Lords, may be seen. Swansea also has a Crown Court, as well as a prison. St Helen's is one of the grounds of Glamorgan County Cricket Club.

A Norman fortress was built in Swansea c. 1099 and some of the walls remain. During the Middle Ages the community was a regional market town. Its industrial growth began in the 18th century when the port was developed to export the coal mined in south Wales, and steel, copper, and tin-plate became important industries. The town centre was destroyed by German bombing during World War II, and part of the redevelopment included the creation of one of the largest covered markets in Britain. Swansea was granted city status in 1974 and enlarged to include the Gower Peninsula, a farming and resort area that was the first to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the National Trust. Dylan Thomas, the poet, was born in Swansea. The city centre underwent a major refurbishment programme in the early 21st century. As well as the development of significant retail and residential areas, a number of new sporting, cultural, and entertainment facilities are being built. The National Waterfront Museum, overlooking Swansea Bay, opened in 2005. A purpose-built sports arena with a seating capacity for 20,000 spectators, shared by Swansea City Football Club and the Neath-Swansea Osprey rugby union side, was completed in July 2005. Extensive renovations to the city's leisure centre were completed in 2007. Population 223,200 (2001 estimate).