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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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Modern zoo on slopes of Cave Hill |
Antrim Road (Bellevue) Belfast, Antrim BT36 7PN United Kingdom +44 28 9077 6277 http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk |
Situated in a splendid woodland setting close to Belfast Castle, Belfast Zoo offers great views over the city. One of the most up-to-date zoos in Europe, it has expanded its grounds in recent years to allow maximum enclosure space for its inhabitants, and now stretches practically to the summit of Cave Hill if you follow the recommended route. Belfast Zoo has proved a pioneer in the realm of ethical zoo keeping. 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 |
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National Trust Estate |
Strangford Belfast, Co. Down BT30 7LS United Kingdom +44 28 4488 1204 http://www.nationaltrust.org.u... |
Castle Ward is Strangford Lough's second most considerable National Trust property after Mount Stewart. Whereas the gardens dominate Mount Stewart, Castle Ward is distinguished by the curious architectural style of its Great House. Built by Bernard and Anne Ward in the 18th century, the house reflects the opposing tastes of its occupiers: one side of the house is Classical, the other is Gothic, and the architectural division runs right through the interior. The 750 acres of grounds contain a sedate lake bordered by palm trees. There's a Strangford Lough Wildlife Centre dedicated to the rare species of animals, particularly seabirds, native to the area. On summer evenings opera is performed in the courtyard. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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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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Beautiful Cistercian abbey built by John de Courcy |
Located off the A7 Belfast Rd Follow the signage Belfast, Co. Down BT30 6LZ United Kingdom +44 28 9054 3034 |
Built in 1180 by John de Courcy, who led the Norman invasion of north east Ulster, Inch Abbey was constructed on an islet in Strangford Lough and is now reached by a causeway through the marshes. It is the daughter house of the Cistercian abbey in Furness, Lancashire, where the Cistercian order led a strict communal life of worship, study and manual labor. Most of the abbey is now a beautiful ruin, however the three early English lancet windows, chapter house and refectory are still well preserved and bear witness to its great days of piety and learning. Come on a sunny day and bring a picnic—you will be inspired by thoughts of medieval times. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Where Belfast Began |
1 Donegall Quay Opposite the Custom House Belfast BT1 3EA United Kingdom +44 28 9031 5444 http://www.laganlookout.com/ |
Within walking distance of the City Hall, the Lagan Weir and Lookout has emerged as one of Belfast's prominent visitor attractions. The Weir, a series of computer controlled steel gates that rise and fall with the tide, was built to maintain a fixed water level, creating possibilities for angling and other recreational pursuits along the river. The Visitor Centre is built at the original mouth of the river crossing that gave Belfast its name, where the city's earliest origins lie. Inside are audio-visual exhibitions on the functions of the Weir and the history of Belfast. You'll enjoy superb views of the Customs House and Albert Clock Tower from here. Visit the Weir after dark and you'll see it dramatically illuminated by gas-filter blue light that shimmers across the water. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Northern Ireland's most famous library |
17 Donegall Square N Belfast BT1 5GD United Kingdom +44 28 9032 1707 http://www.linenhall.com |
This library, situated opposite the City Hall, has been awarded a considerable sum by the Lottery Heritage Foundation to expand the library collection and become a cultural center. Even though it is a private library, visitors are welcome to read books or newspapers, or to sit on one of the antique sofas that sprawl on every floor. There is an extensive genealogy section, the first port of call for anyone attempting to trace ancestors from Belfast, and a popular cafe. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A repository of history |
Milltown Cemetery Office 546 Falls Road Belfast BT12 6EQ United Kingdom +44 28 9061 3972 |
Milltown Cemetery is one of the most famous landmarks on the map of West Belfast. Accessed at the top of the Falls Road, it slopes dramatically down towards the M1 motorway and offers a spectacular view of the city. It was given to the Catholic Church in 1869, and houses several Republican Plots, dedicated to the members of the IRA and to those who died in the hunger strikes of the early 1980s. A green area in the centre of the cemetery is the site of a vast unmarked paupers' grave, where victims of devastating epidemics of typhoid, cholera and flu were unceremoniously buried. Regular tours of the cemetery are arranged by the Culturlann MacAdam O Fiaich cultural centre. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A striking piece of Belfast sculpture |
Europa Buscentre Gt. Victoria Street Belfast BT12 FAH United Kingdom |
The Monument to the Unknown Woman Worker outside the Europa Buscentre is a testament to all women workers both paid and unpaid. Various utensils attached to the two women represent their activities and include the shopping basket and the cash register. It is apt that the women appear strong and unshakable, battling on against low wages or no wages at all. Belfast owes its growth to the masses of female workers who built the largest and most famous linen industry in the world. Not to forget other women in factories, shops, and offices who struggled to support their families during the high unemployment caused by the "troubles". Pause for a moment to admire the heroism of these two women, and who they represent. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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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 |
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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 |
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One of the city's great signature buildings |
Wellington Street Belfast BT1 6DW United Kingdom +44 28 9032 2284 |
Once the property of the Presbyterian Church, what is now known as the Spires was built in 1905 and refurbished in 1992. Constructed out of dark brick, with beautiful exterior carvings and a spectacular belfry, the building stands proud opposite the Grand Opera House at the city centre end of the Golden Mile. The bells have only recently swung into action again; they mark every hour and occasionally throw in a hymn for good measure. The ground floor houses a deluxe shopping mall, with plenty of opportunities for designer label clothes and gift shopping, and a pleasant cafe. Upstairs features an extensive conference suite, guaranteeing panoramic views. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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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 |
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Weekly indoor market |
May Street Belfast BT1 1NN United Kingdom |
St. George's Market has been a long-established event in Belfast. You have to be up early for the real bargains - 5:30a is not too early! St. George's fish is the freshest and cheapest in the city. Squid and salmon aside, you can get almost anything here, from shoelaces to second-hand books, carpets to candleholders, aubergines to angel figurines. On special occasions - Christmas, Halloween and St. Patrick's Day - specialised markets are held, featuring exotic foods and live music. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Symbolic Landmark |
Upper Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 3SD United Kingdom +44 28 9052 0100 |
This neo-classical palatial structure built between 1928 and 1932 was designed to house the Parliament for Northern Ireland after the partition of Ireland into North and South in 1922. Set in its own extensive grounds, the main building stands at the end of a majestic avenue, one mile long. This is a building weighted with the full gravitas of government, and with the heavy history of the region and peoples to whom it is responsible. Dissolution of Stormont as the seat of Northern Ireland's Parliament has always marked periods of political unrest. The Northern Ireland Assembly is currently up and running, however, and people here and all over the world are anxious that it continues to be so. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Belfast's only example of socialist realism |
102 High Street Belfast BT1 2DL United Kingdom +44 28 9023 2381 |
The story of Transport House began in the 1930s when Earnest Bevan selected the site as a new headquarters for the Transport Union in Ireland. Transport House, now a listed building, stands at the bottom of High Street opposite the Albert Clock . A unique structure, you either love it or hate it, but it always arouses interest and comment. The mural depicting the industries that traditionally made Belfast great, shipbuilding, engineering and aircraft manufacture, is in the style of socialist realism reminiscent of post-war Soviet art. This stands in contrast with the Empire-inspired Victorian and Georgian architecture that dominates the rest of the Belfast skyline. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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An inspired example of Victorian botany |
Botanic Gardens Belfast BT9 5AB United Kingdom +44 28 9032 4902 |
The Tropical Ravine House, built by Charles McKimm and situated in the grounds of Botanic Gardens and next door to the Ulster Museum, is crammed with exotic ferns, fruits and flowers - a testament to one Victorian gentleman's passion for the world's flora. The plants grow in a gully, the visitor walks around the edge of the building and peers into a crammed vegetable patchwork below. The building dates from the 1880s. The world's largest water lily hailing from the Amazon, is also grown here. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Life in Old Time Rural Ulster |
153 Bangor Rd Cultra, Holywood Belfast BT18 0EU United Kingdom +44 28 9042 8428 http://www.uftm.org.uk/ |
This museum constitutes the largest transport collection in Ireland, housing everything from carriages to cars to fighter planes, as well as the definitive exhibition on the Titanic. The second half of this museum is an open plan village from about a 100 years ago. Discover how a small rural community in Ulster survived, interacted, educated children and worshipped God. Some cottages evoke nostalgia, especially when you see the delicately-carved cribs and the beautiful quilts; others are heart-breakingly bare and cramped. This is a world rendered with loving care and attention to detail. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Comprehensive Museum |
Stranmillis Rd (University Rd) Belfast BT9 5AB United Kingdom +44 28 9038 3000 http://www.ulstermuseum.org.uk |
The Ulster Museum is situated next to the Botanic Gardens and within walking distance of Queen's University. This four-floor building covers all aspects of Ulster, from local history, archaeology, antiquities and art, to geology, natural history and technology. The main highlights of the museum include gold and silver jewellery recovered from the wreck of a Spanish Armada ship salvaged off the Giant's Causeway. The top-floor gallery displays paintings by British and Irish artists. Admission is free. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Who, What, When, Why, Where? |
2 Queen's Quay (The Odyssey) Belfast BT3 9QQ United Kingdom +44 28 9046 7700 http://www.w5online.co.uk |
W5 refers to "who, what, where, when, why," thus the name of this latest museum to open in the city. Aimed at the young, and the young at heart, this is the place to bring the kids on a rainy day. Have a go at playing a laser harp, building a robot, defying the lie detector or just try hanging out in the wind tunnel. You will find W5 inside the Odyssey, Belfast's millennium landmark project and the latest architectural addition to the spectacular waterfront skyline. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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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 |
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