St Davids Cathedral
Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi
The burial place of St David, the patron saint of Wales. This medieval cathedral of purple stone sits in a valley and is the heart of Britain's smallest city.
St Davids Cathedral stands on the site of the monastery founded by St David in the 6th century. The present building dates from 1181 and is built of local purple-grey sandstone. It is tucked into a small valley so that pirates could not see it from the sea. Inside are fine Irish oak ceilings, a nave floor that slopes because it was built on a hillside, the shrine of St David, and the tomb of Edmund Tudor, father of King Henry VII. In the Middle Ages, the pope decreed that two pilgrimages to St Davids were equal to one to Rome. Entry is free (donations welcome), and guided tours and tower climbs are available. The cathedral and the ruins of the neighboring bishop's palace together make up St Davids, a city of about 1,800 people and Britain's smallest city.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:30–17:30 (visits restricted during services)
Nearby sights
- St Davids Bishop's Palace
- Whitesands Bay
- Solva
- Ramsey Island
- Blue Lagoon, Abereiddy
- Skomer Island
- Freshwater West
- Green Bridge of Wales & Stack Rocks