Wales' national animal is the Welsh Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch), famously featured on its flag, while its national flower is the daffodil, often seen alongside the leek, another important Welsh symbol. The dragon represents power and history, linked to ancient Celtic leaders, and the bright yellow daffodil blooms around St. David's Day, becoming a cherished emblem of Welsh identity.
Instantly recognisable thanks to its bright yellow petals, the daffodil is considered the national flower of Wales.
The Dragon: Everything You Need to Know About the Welsh National Animal. The red dragon, or “Y Ddraig Goch” in the native tongue, is a symbol of all things Welsh.
The three most well-known symbols of Wales are probably the red dragon, leeks and daffodils. However, there are several other things that evoke the country's proud heritage and national identity.
The Red Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) is one of Wales's most recognisable symbols. Believed to have been used by King Arthur and other Celtic leaders, it symbolises Wales's ancient roots and represents its formidable past warriors. The Triple harp (Y Delyn Deires) is thought of as Wales's national instrument.
Welsh mottos
"Cymru am byth" ("Wales forever") is a popular Welsh motto. "Pleidiol Wyf i'm Gwlad" ("I am true to my country"), taken from the National Anthem of Wales, appears on the 2008 Royal Badge of Wales, the Welsh Seal used during the reign of Elizabeth II and on the edge of £1 coins that depict Welsh symbols.
The Key Values are: democracy. rule of law. individual liberty. mutual respect.
Notes: The Wales Flag, or Red Dragon, or Y Ddraig Goch, is the national flag of this constituent nation of the United Kingdom. The design – a large red dragon on a white and green background – was officially adopted in 1959.
Cymru is a country with distinctive traditions, heritage and culture. It is known as a land of song and a country steeped in myth and legend, which, when you see the awe-inspiring landscape, is no surprise.
St David - patron saint of Wales.
Proudly sported every St. David's Day on 1st March and at every international rugby match, the leek is now widely recognised as the national symbol of Wales.
One of Wales' most unique animals is the endangered Skomer vole, found only on Skomer Island. Amphibians also thrive here, including adders, common toads, and great crested newts. The natterjack toad, identified by the yellow stripe along its back, is Wales' rarest amphibian and a strictly protected species.
The traditional seasonal festivals in Wales are: Calan Gaeaf (a Hallowe'en or Samhain-type festival on the first day of winter) Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau (literally Mary's Festival of the Candles, i.e. Candlemas; also coinciding with Imbolc) Calan Mai (May Day, and similar to Beltane)
It was later adopted by 5th-century Welsh kings, keen to show their authority following the Roman withdrawal from Britain. When Owain Glyndŵr led his feted (though ultimately ill-fated) rebellion against the English King Henry IV in 1400, he did so under a white banner adorned with a golden dragon.
A magnificently graceful bird of prey, the Red Kite is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world's longest- running protection programmes. It has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland.
Welsh lamb, beef and produce from the sea
Welsh lamb is justifiably world famous, farmed on the lush mountains and valleys. Our cattle farming produces Welsh beef, most notably from the Welsh black cattle. Both Welsh lamb and beef have Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.
Dishes such as cawl, Welsh rarebit, laverbread, Welsh cakes, bara brith (literally "speckled bread") or the Glamorgan sausage have all been regarded as symbols of Welsh food. Cawl, pronounced in a similar way to the English word "cowl", can be regarded as Wales' national dish.
Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham Steeple, Snowdon's mountain without its people, Overton yew trees, Gresford bells, Llangollen bridge and St Winifred's well.
For some, speaking Welsh is an important part of their Welsh identity. Parts of the culture are strongly connected to the language — notably the Eisteddfod tradition, poetry and aspects of folk music and dance. Wales also has a strong tradition of poetry in the English language.
The Red Dragon Banner
The Red Dragon itself is perhaps the most well known of the Welsh symbols. The dragon has been associated with Wales since at least Roman times, when it is believed that a Roman legion brought it over. It was adopted by the Princes of Gwynedd and became known as the Red Dragon of Cadwaladar.
We have one other peculiarly Welsh flag, that is the flag of the Church in Wales. The Church in Wales is a church on its own to be differentiated from the Church of England. On this basis the churches in Wales fly either the flag of the Church in Wales or the flag of the local diocese.
When Henry Tudor (of Welsh descent) claimed victory at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, he marched under the reddragon flag. This event cemented the dragon as a national emblem, and it was later standardised as facing left to honour this legacy.
When you think of Welsh surnames, which names come to mind? Jones? Davies? Williams? Well, they are the three most popular surnames in Wales, with the remaining names in the top 10 being Evans, Thomas, Roberts, Lewis, Hughes, Morgan and Griffiths.
Wales was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, the cradle of the workers' rights movement and the birthplace of the National Health Service. All are sources of fierce pride. We're well known for our castles, which number more than 600.
Most adherents to organised religion in Wales follow the Anglican Church in Wales, Presbyterian Church of Wales, Baptist Union of Wales, Union of Welsh Independents, Methodist, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.