Tŷ Hywel

Tŷ Hywel (Welsh for 'Hywel House') is a building in Cardiff, Wales, used by the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; Welsh: Senedd Cymru; formerly the National Assembly for Wales). It is named after the medieval king Hywel Dda^[2] (Howell the Good), King of Deheubarth in South West Wales.^[3][4] The building was previously known as Crickhowell House (Welsh: Tŷ Crughywel), after the former Secretary of State for Wales, Lord Crickhowell.^[5][6] It houses Members of the Senedd and their staff, as well as staff of the Senedd Commission. The Welsh Government also operates from the building and occupies one whole floor and part of another. It is leased by the Senedd under the Government of Wales Act 1998.^[5]

Tŷ Hywel
Former names	Crickhowell House
General information
Address	6b Bute Place, Cardiff Bay
Town or city	Cardiff
Country	Wales
Coordinates	51.46343°N 3.16237°W / 51.46343; -3.16237
Current tenants	Senedd
Opened	1991
Owner	Equitix Tiger English LP[1]
Technical details
Floor count	6
Floor area	11,583 m2 (124,680 sq ft)

The building was opened in 1991 and has a total floor area of 11,583 m² (124,680 sq ft). It is built of red brick and is connected to the Senedd debating chamber in Cardiff Bay. Tŷ Hywel houses staff of the Senedd Commission, MSes, the First Minister and other ministers.^[7][3] Crickhowell House was used as a temporary debating chamber for the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 until its new building, also originally known as the Senedd, was opened in 2006. On 25 June 2008 the Prince of Wales officially opened Siambr Hywel, the National Assembly's youth debating chamber and education centre, based on the former debating chamber in Tŷ Hywel.^[8]

Tŷ Hywel is part of the Senedd estate in Cardiff Bay, along with the Senedd building and the Grade I listed Pierhead Building.^[7][9] Two covered link bridges connect the Senedd building to Tŷ Hywel. Construction of the link bridges began in September 2004 and they were completed by December 2005.^[10][11][12]

• 
  The Pierhead Building
• 
  The skyways connecting Tŷ Hywel (left) and the Senedd building (right)
• 
  The Senedd building and Tŷ Hywel (right)
• 
  Siambr Hywel debating chamber

References

1. "Welsh Assembly facing £4m bill to replace Tŷ Hywel windows". BBC. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
2. Jones, Alun (20 December 2019), Welsh Assembly facing £4m bill to replace Tŷ Hywel windows, BBC News, retrieved 6 May 2020
3. "New name for Assembly former home". Media Wales. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
4. "Laws of Hywel Dda". British Library website. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
5. "The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Property, Rights and Liabilities) Order 2007: Article 3", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2007/1269 (art. 3)
6. "New name for Assembly former home". Media Wales Ltd. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
7. "Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Assembly Commission: 2007–08. Our Estate". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
8. "Charles comes to Cardiff". GoHolidays.net. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
9. "National Assembly for Wales Commission Equality Scheme, Access to our Information, Proceedings and Buildings". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
10. "Project History 2005". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
11. "The National Assembly for Wales" (PDF). University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
12. "Project History 2004". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2009.

External links

• Media related to Tŷ Hywel at Wikimedia Commons