Pontypridd, Market town in South Wales, United Kingdom.
Pontypridd is a Welsh market town in the south where two river valleys meet and steep green hills shape the surroundings. The main street runs through a compact center with red brick shops, small cafes, and a market square, while residential streets climb the slopes.
The settlement grew around a new stone arch bridge in the 18th century that carried travelers over the river. Mining brought thousands of workers to the area in the 19th century, and the small hamlet turned into a busy trading center for the surrounding valleys.
The name comes from an old bridge near the place where two rivers meet, and translates as the bridge by the house of the earthdweller. Welsh is still spoken in shops and streets, especially on market days when locals do their shopping.
The area can be explored on foot, with the center fairly flat while residential streets on the hillsides are steeper. Saturdays see busy market activity, so arriving earlier helps if you prefer a quieter walk around.
An old stone bridge spanned the river with a single wide arch and was considered the longest of its kind in Europe for nearly eighty years. Today it still connects the eastern and western banks, though traffic now uses a newer road.
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