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Lying between the mountains and the shores of Belfast Lough, the capital of Northern Ireland combines fine
 Belfast's Leaning Tower |
Queen's Square Belfast BT1 3FG United Kingdom +44 28 9024 6609 |
Pisa has its leaning tower and Belfast has one to match - the Albert Memorial Clock Tower. Known locally as "The Albert Clock", it was built in memory of Prince Albert following his death in 1861. The tower arouses most interest due to the fact that it leans slightly to one side as a result of subsidence. Much of the city centre suffers the same plight - buildings here were frequently built on wooden piles driven into muddy, reclaimed land. At the moment, attempts are being made to rectify the tilt - the whole structure is swathed in construction scaffolding. From the tower you will be able to view two giant yellow cranes in Harland & Wolff's shipyard. These are affectionately known as "Samson and Goliath". Review © 2007, Wcities |
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19th-century Castle |
Bellevue Antrim Road Belfast BT15 5GR United Kingdom +44 28 9077 6925 http://www.belfastcastle.co.uk |
Set on the wooded slopes of the dramatic Cave Hill is the 19th-century edifice of Belfast Castle. The castle was built in 1870 and was previously home to the Earl of Shaftesbury. Within the castle are two rather expensive restaurants and also a small heritage centre offering an insight into the area's history. There is a playground for children. The castle and its spectacular grounds afford beautiful views of the whole city and across Belfast Lough to Co. Down. If you feel like venturing beyond the grounds, there are walks which lead you up to the foot of Napoleon's Nose (a cliff face that resembles the profile of a giant on its back) and to the caves that gave the Cave Hill its name. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A good introduction to Belfast |
Departs from the City Hall Donegall Square Belfast BT1 5GS United Kingdom +44 28 9027 0456 |
This walk goes right to the heart of Victorian Belfast, highlighting the grand architecture nestling comfortably amongst the more modern shopping and business developments. Belfast began as a settlement at the mouth of the river Lagan. The tour concentrates on the buildings and history that surround this river, ending up at the magnificent Waterfront Hall, a building in the rejuvenated docks area which symbolizes the bright, vibrant future of the city. The starting point of the Belfast City Center and Laganside Walk is the City Hall. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Belfast's most beautiful fish |
The Weir 1 Donegal Quay Belfast United Kingdom +44 28 9031 5444 |
If you're visiting the Lagan Lookout, or admiring the Customs House, you'll notice this big fish, commissioned to crown the face lift of the Belfast docks. It's by John Kindness, and the most interesting things about this fish are its beautiful blue scales. Take a closer look: every scale is a tile, and every tile tells a story about the city going back hundreds of years. What looks from a distance to be a simple sculpture becomes intricate and puzzling. Questions proliferate as the onlooker is drawn from tile to tile, from sailing ship to cartoon to portrait, and the sculpture (and the city) suddenly become more diverse and more surprising than before. Clambered on by children, admired by everyone who comes close enough to see its story, the Big Fish has already become Belfast's best-loved sculpture. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Garden Refuge |
Botanic Ave College Park Belfast BT9 5AB United Kingdom +44 28 9032 0202 |
Situated next to Queen's University, the Botanic Gardens have provided a sanctuary from the pressures of city life since 1827. Especially prized is the iron and glass hothouse known as the Palm House - a splendid example of Victorian workmanship. The Palm House is a companion to the great glasshouses at Kew Gardens in London and the Botanic Gardens in Dublin, all of which were designed by Charles Lanyon. The Belfast version is a little diminutive in comparison with the great buildings at Kew, but has the same grace of design and contains an enormous variety of tropical plants. The gardens also contain rose beds, beautifully maintained herbaceous borders and a children's playground. The summer months see show jumping and free performances by brass bands. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Dan and Sandi Happy |
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 A beautiful woodland park minutes from the city |
Antrim Road North of City Centre Belfast, Antrim BT5 5GR United Kingdom +44 28 9032 0202 |
Just over four miles north of Belfast city center lies an area of some 750 acres spread out between Belfast Zoo and Belfast Castle known as the Cave Hill Country Park. A haven of green and calm, (unless you happen to be standing near a game of Gaelic football), from here you can climb up to the moor land areas that run along the top of the mountain, where bog cotton will be blooming if you're lucky and where the look-out point, McArt's Fort, offers stunning views of the city. There are trails throughout the park below that take you through deep forest—lovely in the rain as well as in sunshine. Admission to this oasis is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: kyle thompson |
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Historical building at city heart |
Donegall Square Belfast BT1 5GS United Kingdom +44 28 9027 0456 http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/ |
The City Hall, with its impressive 173-foot copper dome, dominates the city's skyline from every angle. The building's remarkable interior contains a marble Grand Staircase crowned by a domed ceiling of intricate plasterwork. The Grand Staircase is lit by seven stained glass windows and the Grand Hall is also adorned with several stained glass portraits of British sovereigns, rescued from bombing during the Second World War. Guided tours of the building and grounds are available all year round; each tour lasts approximately one hour. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Ancient monument that continues to baffle experts |
Off B32, 5km south of the city centre Belfast BT7 1HP United Kingdom +44 28 9024 6609 |
This enigmatic ancient monument, just a few minutes from Shaw's Bridge, is an ideal place for a day trip and picnic. Little, if anything, is known about this awesome prehistoric 600-feet wide circular earthwork. Some scholars have suggested that it may have been a significant meeting place 2,000 years ago, but the exact purpose of the site remains unclear. Remains from a Stone Age burial were discovered under the dolmen in the centre and during the 18th century, the ring was a popular venue for horse races. Nowadays, the Giant's Ring offers superb views of the parkland areas of South Belfast, as well as a purpose-built 2,000 year-old walking circuit around its edge! Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Signature Victorian building |
17 Great Victoria St Belfast BT2 7HR United Kingdom +44 28 9024 1919 http://www.goh.co.uk |
The Grand Opera House is one of the city's great signature buildings. Restored to its Victorian glory in 1980, it is a masterpiece in gilt and plush scarlet; the pièce de la résistance of this lavish interior being the elephants that support the boxes! (Pavarotti got his first break here.) The venue maintains its operatic traditions, with regular visits by some of the world's great opera companies. In recent years, the Royal Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet have both performed at this venue. Ticket prices vary per performance; check out the Website for details. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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 Fine architectural structure with priceless artefacts inside |
Corporation Square Belfast BT1 3AL United Kingdom +44 28 9055 4422 |
Inside Clarendon Dock is the Harbour Office, one-time administrative centre for the entire shipping business of Belfast at a time when the city was producing more ships than anywhere else in the world. It was designed by the partner of Charles Lanyon, W.H. Lynn. Unlike the Customs House, you can go inside the Harbour Office to see its stunning interior. Titanic enthusiasts can have a look at the Captain's table and chairs in the boardroom, designed to set sail but finished too late to catch the voyage. The building is full of fine historical paintings, including one of the Grandfather of William of Orange. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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 Photo: kyle thompson |
 Popular venue for concerts, shows and exhibitions |
Balmoral Belfast BT9 6GW United Kingdom +44 28 9066 5225 http://www.kingshall.co.uk |
The King's Hall in South Belfast is arguably the city's premier exhibition and conference venue with 10,000 sq mts of exhibition space and car parking with a capacity of 2,000. Host to such diverse events as the Balmoral Agricultural Show and the Ideal Home Exhibition, the King's Hall's vast size has also meant that it is the ideal location for major concerts, and many a multi-national rock star has played a foot-stomping gig here. Sporting events also feature, so whether your poison is boxing or ballroom dancing, give the King's Hall a ring and see what's on when you're in town. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Eric Murray |
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The signifiers of a divided community |
Various venues Belfast BT11 8BB United Kingdom |
Ever since the explosion of the "Troubles" in 1968, popular art has played a major role in proclaiming the loyalties of Belfast's two antagonistic communities. Vivid murals expressing political and paramilitary affiliations adorn the gable ends of houses on both sides of the divide. Kerbstones are also decorated with the colours of respective flags of allegiance. Many tourists to Belfast make the journey specifically to view these murals, which have become (in)famous around the world. One of the best ways to do so is by taking a Black Taxi Tour, which will take you to all the trouble spots of the city while your tour guide explains the distinctive iconography of the murals of both sides. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Premier contemporary gallery |
18A Ormeau Avenue Belfast BT2 8HS United Kingdom +44 28 9032 1402 http://www.ormeaubathsgallery.... |
The Ormeau Baths Gallery is housed in a converted 19th-century bathhouse and specialises in contemporary art. The gallery is possibly the most significant exhibition space for contemporary art in Northern Ireland, and it features both an Irish and an international art collection. The gallery has attracted major exhibitions, including one by the controversial artists Gilbert and George, (which provoked plenty of local outrage), and has recently held a major retrospective on the works of Yoko Ono, wife of the late John Lennon. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Stephen Stewart, www |
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Prestigious University |
University Road Belfast BT7 1LN United Kingdom +44 28 9024 5133 http://www.qub.ac.uk/ |
No trip to Belfast would be complete without a visit to Queen's. The building was designed by Charles Lanyon and completed in 1849, about the same time as University College Cork and University College Galway. All three buildings share architectural similarities. The front wing of Queen's was based on the late medieval design of Magdalen College, Oxford, and is a fine example of Victorian Gothic revivalism. Call the Queen's Visitor Centre (just through the main archway to your left) to learn more about the institution and its history. You can buy an assortment of Queen's memorabilia here. As with many universities, the surrounding area is vibrant, with an emphasis as much on having a good time as serious, diligent, rigorous academic study. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Older Belfast running parallel to the new |
Sandy Row Belfast BT12 5ER United Kingdom +44 28 9024 5403 |
Sandy Row is a working class, Loyalist heartland that runs directly parallel to the Golden Mile and borders the cosmopolitan university area. This proximity highlights one of the crossroads between histories that the Province now faces. It is an excellent spot if you wish to see examples of Loyalist murals. but better than that it is ideal for viewing mills and tobacco factories that still exercise their Victorian dominance over the surrounding rows of terraced housing. Sandy Row is for those who enjoy their contrasts marked. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Orla Ryan |
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Park in South Belfast famous for its roses |
Upper Malone Road Belfast BT9 5PB United Kingdom 028 9066 2259 |
An attractive rolling parkland sprawling over 130 acres, this park's crowning glory is its International Rose Garden. It's a treat for the senses with the scents and riotous colours of over 300,000 blooms. Come for the famous rose trials held here during Rose Week every summer. Set out in a series of circular gardens, each garden has a different theme and is decorated with striped tents. The park also provides an ideal starting point for exploring the Lagan Valley Regional Park. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Gary Hewitt |
 Photo: Donna |
 Photo: Donna |
 Photo: Gary Hewitt |
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Cathedral that gave the Cathedral Quarter its name |
Donegall St Belfast BT1 2FG United Kingdom +44 28 9032 8332 http://www.belfastcathedral.org |
You'll spot the Neo-Romanesque façade of this cathedral long before you step up to the door. Inside you'll find lots of splendid marble and some impressively enormous mosaics. Lord Carson, leader of the campaign against Home Rule, is buried here. St Anne's Book of Common Prayer, written on cigarette papers in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, serves as a poignant reminder of human suffering. Some marvellous classical concerts are held here, and evensong on a Sunday afternoon is a beautiful musical experience, if nothing else. In recent years, the cathedral has been at the forefront of cross-community initiatives in Northern Ireland. People from any denomination, or none, are welcome to attend their weekly "heal our land" services and to take communion here. It is open through the day for visitors. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Tony Millar |
 Photo: Roger Price |
 Photo: Alan in Belfast |
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 Photo: Roy Burns |
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 Photo: Jason Jarrett |
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 Photo: Stephen Martin |
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Jewel of Laganside Redevelopment |
2 Lanyon Place Belfast BT1 3WH United Kingdom +44 28 9033 4400 http://www.waterfront.co.uk |
This dazzling building on the banks of the Lagan is the original signature building of the Laganside redevelopment and one of the architectural stars of the city. The superb auditorium, which has a capacity of 2,235, has witnessed concerts from all walks of life: from Jesus Christ Superstar to Robbie Williams (superstar), from opera, ballet and classical music through to pantomime and stand-up comedy. This thoroughly modern complex features handsome bars and restaurants with fine views of the surrounding area, as well as the NTL Studio, a smaller auditorium with a capacity of 400. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Chris Matchett |
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