A quirky tower in Cardiff draws curious visitors, sparking questions about its purpose and history in the local community
Cardiff: There’s this quirky tower in Cardiff that really stands out. People come from all over just to check it out. It’s been called everything from a hot air balloon to an onion, and folks are always curious about what it actually is.
This tall structure has a long stem and a big round top, earning it some funny nicknames like The Lollipop and The Giant Golf Ball in the Sky. Built back in the mid-1960s, it was originally a water tower that pumped water to different parts of Cardiff.
It used to belong to Welsh Water but was sold in 1999. Now, it’s owned by Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited and is used for Vodafone’s telecommunications. They even added some new equipment on top about six months ago.
Mark, a local resident, shared some memories of growing up near the tower. He and his brother used to sneak inside and climb the stairs, much to their parents’ dismay. He said people often stop to ask him about the tower when they visit Pentrebane.
Another resident from Firs Avenue remembers watching the tower being built as a kid. He said, “We would sit on the driveway and watch the cranes go up. There wasn’t much else to do back then.”
At one of the highest points in Cardiff, the tower is just a stone’s throw from the homes on Firs Avenue. Ruth, a 90-year-old resident, has lived there for over 60 years. She recalls being able to see the tower from her window before the flats were built and often offered tea to the maintenance workers who had to use cranes to reach the top.
Ruth said, “It’s never been a problem for me. I forget it’s even there.”