The Crown Buildings (Welsh: Adeilad y Goron) aka Cathays Park Buildings, are the Welsh Government's main offices in Cardiff, Wales. The buildings were formerly used by the Welsh Office and are situated in Cathays Park. The complex consists of two buildings, Cathays Park 1 (Grade 2 listed building) and Cathays Park 2, joined by two skybridges.
Cathays Park 1 (aka CP1 or old Crown Building) is an older four-storey building with 3,599 m2 (38,740 sq ft) of floorspace. Cathays Park 2 (aka CP2 or new Crown Building) is a five-storey office building with 34,305 m2 (369,260 sq ft) of floorspace, including an underground car park and a central atrium housing a cafe for the office staff. The Encyclopedia of Wales describes CP2, completed in 1979, as conveying an impression of "bureaucracy under siege".
The sky bridge between Cathays Park 1 and 2 'the link' has been the subject of some discussion amongst staff based in the building. People have reported and eerie feeling, a general sense of something 'unworldly' with people catching fleeting glimpses out of the corner of their eye which had led to rumors of the area being haunted.
Famous quotes containing the words crown and/or park:
“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
—Bible: Hebrew Proverbs, 16:31.
“Linnæus, setting out for Lapland, surveys his “comb” and “spare shirt,” “leathern breeches” and “gauze cap to keep off gnats,” with as much complacency as Bonaparte a park of artillery for the Russian campaign. The quiet bravery of the man is admirable.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)