Cardiff Old Library and Christmas Market

by Dan Peterson, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Cardiff Old Library sits at the northern end of The Hayes in the heart of Cardiff City Centre. Originally built as Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art and opened in 1882. However, the facade to the front of the building, facing south, was added 14 years later when the building was re-opened in 1896 as Cardiff Central Library. It was still Central Library when I moved to Cardiff in 1979 but now houses the Cardiff Story Museum, a Restaurant and Tourist Information Centre (and probably some other stuff as well).

This drawing shows the rear of the Library from Victoria Place. I drew it while sat outside a coffee shop which is part of House of Fraser (Howells) Department Store.

The next drawing I made a week or so later shows the front facade with the Hayes Island Snack Bar to the left in the foreground. Known as the island snack bar as it was originally surrounded by busy roads which have since been pedestrianised along with large parts of the centre.

During the build up to Christmas the Old Library and nearby streets are filled with wooden market stalls full of arts, crafts, food and drink.