Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

has seven cities as of September 2022. Bangor is Wales' oldest

cathedral city Cathedral city is a city status in the United Kingdom. Cathedral city may also refer to: * Cathedral City, California, a city in Southern California, United States * Cathedral City Cheddar, a brand of Cheddar cheese * Cathedral City High Scho ...

, whereas St Davids is the smallest city in the United Kingdom.

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

is the capital city of Wales and its most-populous, followed by Swansea the second most-populous. Since 2000, Welsh towns have submitted bids to be awarded

city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, city status ...

as part of

jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

s of the reigning British monarch or for other events, such as the

millennium celebrations The millennium celebrations were a worldwide, coordinated series of events to celebrate and commemorate the end of 1999 and the start of the year 2000 in the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations were held as marking the end of the 2nd millennium ...

, with Newport,

St Asaph St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...

and

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...

awarded city status through these contests. Wrexham is the newest to hold the status, being awarded it in September 2022 as part of the

Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours As part of the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II awarded a number of civic honours, most notably the creation of new cities in a competition. Another competition for lord mayor or lord provost status was held. It was announced on 8 June 202 ...

of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

List of Welsh cities

}) , 1905 , Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf 01

Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf) is an Anglican cathedral and parish church in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. It is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is dedicated to Saint Pet ...

Cardiff castle , 362,750 , - , Swansea , Abertawe ,

City and County of Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

( cy, italic=unset, label=none, Dinas a Sir Abertawe) , 1969 , Saint Josephs Cathedral swansea

St Joseph's Cathedral , Aberavon Beach view to Swansea Bay

Aberavon Beach Aberavon Beach ( cy, Traeth Aberafan), also known as Aberavon Sands, is a three-mile (5 km) stretch of sandy beach on the north-eastern edge of Swansea Bay in Port Talbot, Wales. With its high breaker waves, it is popular with surfers. Aber ...

Swansea Bay Swansea Bay ( cy, Bae Abertawe) is a bay on the southern coast of Wales. The River Neath, River Tawe, River Afan, River Kenfig and Clyne River flow into the bay. Swansea Bay and the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel experience a large tid ...

, 245,480 , - , Newport , Casnewydd , Newport
( cy, italic=unset, label=none, Casnewydd) , 2002 ,

Newport Cathedral Newport Cathedral (Welsh; ''Eglwys Gaderiol Casnewydd''), also known as St Gwynllyw's or St Woolos' Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth within the Church in Wales, and the seat of the Bishop of Monmouth. Its official title is ...

(St Woolos Cathedral) , Towards the Resort Hotel, Celtic Manor Resort - geograph

Celtic Manor Resort Celtic Manor Resort is a golf, spa and leisure hotel and resort in the city of Newport, South East Wales. Owned by Sir Terry Matthews, the resort is located on the south-facing side of Christchurch Hill in eastern Newport, near Junction 24 ...

, 151,500 , - ,

, Wrecsam ,

Wrexham County Borough Wrexham County Borough ( cy, Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam) is a county borough, with city status, in the north-east of Wales. It borders England to the east and south-east, Powys to the south-west, Denbighshire to the west and Flintshire to the ...

( cy, italic=unset, label=none, Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam) , 2022 , Wrexham Cathedral (geograph 5518262)

, 65,359 , - , Bangor , Bangor , Gwynedd , Cathedral city since 6th century.
Officially conferred in 1974 , Eglwys Gadeiriol Bangor - Bangor Cathedral

Bangor Cathedral , Bangor (49132325086)

A view of the city from

Port Penrhyn Port Penrhyn ( cy, Porth Penrhyn) is a harbour located just east of Bangor in north Wales at the confluence of the River Cegin with the Menai Strait. It was formerly of great importance as the main port for the export of slate from the Penrh ...

, 18,000 , - ,

, Llanelwy ,

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...

( cy, italic=unset, label=none, Sir Ddinbych) , 2012 , Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy - St Asaph Cathedral

St Asaph Cathedral , Kentigern Arms, St Asaph - geograph

Kentigern Arms , 3,500 , - , St Davids , Tyddewi , Pembrokeshire
( cy, italic=unset, label=none, Sir Benfro) , 1994 , St David's Cathedral and Bishop's Palace - geograph

St David's Cathedral and Bishop's Palace - geograph

St Davids Cathedral ,
Porth Brâg , 1,840

City bids

Since 2000, Welsh towns have competed in a contest to be awarded city status, as part of civic honours in notable celebrations, like the

or the Jubilee of the reigning monarch. The 2000 contest was criticised for having no Welsh bid be successful. * Aberystwyth —

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...

(lost); 2002 (lost) *

Machynlleth Machynlleth () is a market town, community and electoral ward in Powys, Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had a pop ...

—

(lost); 2002 (lost) * Merthyr Tydfil — Proposed for 2022, subsequently withdrawn * Newport —

(lost); 2002 (won) * Newtown —

(lost); 2002 (lost) *

—

(lost); 2002 (lost); 2012 (won) *

—

(lost); 2002 (lost);

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

(lost); 2022 ( won)

References

{{Wales topics Cities in Wales Geography of Wales

List of Welsh cities

City bids

See also

References