Why go
The building joins remembrance to the search for a healthier, more peaceful society. A tour can connect the Book of Remembrance in the crypt with the Hall of Nations and the Council Chamber’s library. This adds a different kind of national history to the museums and monuments around Cathays Park.
What to look for
- The crypt houses a First World War Book of Remembrance.
- The Hall of Nations provides the main ceremonial space.
- The Council Chamber has a full-height wooden library.
The full story
Opened in 1938, the Temple brought together two causes championed by David Davies: international peace and public health. One intended occupant worked against tuberculosis, while the other supported the League of Nations. Davies had served in the First World War and wanted a memorial that also looked towards preventing future conflict. Architect Percy Thomas gave those ambitions a civic, non-religious home. That dual purpose explains the full name, Temple of Peace and Health, and distinguishes it from a conventional war monument. The crypt’s remembrance, the Hall of Nations and the chamber library belong to a project that connected mourning with practical public action. Understanding that link gives the building’s formal rooms a clearer meaning than simply viewing them as ceremonial interiors.
Useful to know
- Confirm a guided tour or event before planning to enter this working building.
- Allow around half an hour for the building’s main interpretive spaces.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Indoor visit · 30–30 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.