BELFAST
In the 17th century Belfast was a village. Then the development of industries like linen, rope-making, engineering, tobacco and seaborne commerce doubled the town’s size every ten years. In 1888 Queen Victoria gave the town the status of city, and the citizens built the magnificent City Hall, which dominates the central shopping area.
Northern Ireland’s long tradition of engineering is still centred on Belfast. The world’s biggest dry dock is here. There is a good view of the shipyard’s giant cranes from the foot of the Albert Clock Tower – Belfast’s Big Ben – at the end of High Street. Nearby aircraft and missile works are another important industry.
Half a century and half a mile separate the City Hall from Queen’s University. Designed by the celebrated architect Charles Lanyon, the main college building was modelled on Magdalene College, Oxford. Today, the original building is in the centre of a university quarter, which includes halls of residence in parklands, an 11-storeyed library and many other buildings catering for about 12000 students. The annual Belfast Festival at Queen’s is a 3-week celebration of cultural events and entertainment.
In the nearby Botanic Gardens you can find the Ulster Museum. Its collections include contemporary international art, Irish art, Irish furniture, glass, silver, ceramics and costume, and a display of life in Ireland over 9000 years. There is an interesting permanent exhibition called “Made in Belfast”. Perhaps the best known collection is the gold and silver jewellery recovered by divers in 1968 from the Armada treasure ship Girona, wrecked in 1588.
St. Anne’s Cathedral was begun in 1899 and consecrated in 1904. Its mosaic depicts the landing of St. Patrick at Saul in 432 A.D.
Sinclair Seamen’s Church, opened in 1853, is like a maritime museum – the pulpit is a ship’s prow, the organ has port and starboard lights.
Nearly all the parks have bowls and tennis and the Waterworks has fishing. Victoria Park has boating in summer and Musgrave Park has a heather garden.
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