Swansea in south Wales' first settlement was a Norman castle in 1099 during the reign of William the Conqueror. The city developed as a major port for the south Wales coalfield from 1700. It is the 2nd largest city in Wales.

With its abundance of high quality coal, Swansea became the copper smelting capital of the world, producing nearly 65% of the worlds copper. When deposits dwindled, the raw copper was then imported from as far afield as Chile. With the number of sailors that had endured the journey around south America, they soon became known as the "Horners" and a pub near the docks is still called "The Cape Horner".

Swansea also claims the first ever passenger railway, the old Mumbles railway which skirted its way around Swansea bay but this was sadly dismantled in the 1960's.

Its Welsh name of Abertawe translates to 'settlement at the mouth of the river Tawe'.

More places in the world called 'Swansea'