Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, is Known as the "Iron Town." Its past wealth was forged in the Industrial Revolution: The cannons that defeated Napoleon were all cast there.
By the 19th century, Methyr's population had reached 60,000, making this town 25 mi/40 km north of Cardiff larger than Cardiff, Swansea and Newport put together.
But the iron business dried up by the turn of the 20th century, leaving little more than raging unemployment and a scarred landscape. Conservation work that began in the 1980s has succeeded in restoring much of what was left, and the town is worth a visit for those interested in industrial history. It also has a thriving cultural and music community, and is home to the Merthyr Rock Festival.
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