ST. DAVID'S CATHEDRAL

The first view of the cathedral is impressive. It is surrounded by a large park covered with funerary stelae and one can immediately see its cruciform structure at the intersection of which rises the large square tower, with its clock and pinnacles.

For more than a century, this site was a central place of pilgrimage and the majestic ensemble still exerts its aura... However, it all begins with the mystical solitude of Saint David, who led a life here withdrawn from the world, totally devoted to the Spirit... The holy man, who ate bread and herbs and dipped his body in ice-cold water to numb his ardour, influenced the Irish Church through his asceticism! It was during the reign of Henry I that the place took a more administrative and official turn, when it was decided that St David would be at the centre of the diocese. It is possible that the location was also chosen for reasons of political strategy, given its proximity to Ireland. Construction of the cathedral began in 1131, and it was also from this time that it became an important religious centre in Europe. In the 14th century, during the reign of Bishop Henry of Gower, the architecture took on the appearance it has today. Until his death in 1347, he oversaw major works in the cathedral, which he envisioned as his future tomb, and also built the wall separating it from the houses of the village. The present official entrance to the site is the only original of the four gates of the enclosure.