Page 282 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

280  IRELAND REGION B Y REGION

j Belfast

Belfast was the only city in Ireland to experience
the full force of the Industrial Revolution. Its
ship-building, linen, rope-making and tobacco
industries caused the population to rise to almost
400,000 by the end of World War I. The “Troubles”
and the decline of heavy industry have somewhat
hampered economic life, but regeneration projects,
such as Laganside, the Titanic Quarter, Victoria Belfast International Airport
Square and the Cathedral Quarter, are breathing 29 km (18 miles)
Cave Hill
new life into run-down areas and Belfast remains a Mosaic in St Anne’s Cathedral, showing St UPPER LIBRARY ST BROUGHAM ST LARNE
friendly, handsome city. Patrick’s journey to Ireland (see p285) Y O R K S T R E E T M3
M IL L F I E L D D O N E GA LL S TREE T NELSON STREET
Smithfield
F Grand Opera House FRANCIS ST NORTH STREET E X C H A NGE STREET C O R P O R A T I O N S T R E E T
Market
Great Victoria St. Tel 028 9024 1919. C A S TLE ST R E E T St Anne's
∑ goh.co.uk Grand Opera COLLEGE SQ E ROYAL AVENUE Cathedral M 3
Designed by Frank Matcham, Great Victoria House Linen Hall
WA RI NG ST
GROSVENOR RD
the renowned theatre architect, Station Europa Library The H I G H S T Albert Memorial
Clock Tower
Bus Centre
this exuberant late Victorian Entries DONEGALL QUAY Lagan Titanic
building opened its doors in Saloon BEDFORD ST Belfast ANN S T Laganside Bridge Belfast
GREAT VICTORIA ST
City Hall
1894. The sumptuous interior, ARMAGH SANDY ROW Crown Liquor CHICHESTER ST Bus Centre W5
Queen
with its gilt, red plush and DUBLIN RO A D ALFRED ST MAY STREET V I C TO RI A ST Elizabeth Q UEENS ROAD
intri cate plasterwork, was SHAFTESBURY DON EG ALL PA SS O RM EA U AV E CROMAC ST O X FOR D S T R EET Queen's Bridge M3 S Y D E N H A M R OA D
St George's
SQUARE
Bridge
but it survives STRANMILLIS ROAD UNI V E RS I TY R OA D Central
restored to its full
Market
On occasions,
Station
B R ID GE E ND
Belfast City Airport
bombings of
5 km (3 miles)
Interior of the Grand Opera House glory in 1980. BOTANIC AVENUE Botanic EA S T BRI DGE ST Waterfront George Best
LAGANBANK RD
Queen's
Hall
Film Theatre
the adjacent
Queen's
P Belfast City Hall Europa Hotel University Station
Ulster
Donegall Square. Tel 028 9027 0456. disrupted Museum S H O R T S TRAND
8 call ahead for tour details. - business at Botanic ORMEAU R O A D Albert Bridge
Gardens
U NIV E R SI TY S TR EET
Most of Belfast’s main streets the theatre, NEWTONARDS
Stormont
radiate out from the hub of A GI N C O U R T AV E NUE L a g a n
Donegall Square. In the centre as a major
of the square stands the vast venue for plays STRANMILLIS EMB ANKME NT Giant's Ring
rectangular Portland stone and theatre. ORMEAU EMBAN KMENT
bulk of the 1906 City Hall. It has
an elaborate tower at each R St Anne’s Cathedral Key to Symbols see back flap
corner and a central copper dome Donegall St. Tel 028 9032 8332.
that rises to a height of 53 m ∑ belfastcathedral.org
(173 ft). Highlight of the tour Consecrated in 1904, this Sights at a Glance
of the interior is the Anglican cathedral took over 1 Grand Opera House
sumptuous oak-panelled 100 years to be completed. 2 Crown Liquor Saloon
council chamber. The impressive interior 3 Belfast City Hall
Statues around the includes mosaics exe-
building include a cuted by the two 4 Linen Hall Library
glum-looking Queen Misses Martin in the 5 The Entries
Victoria outside the 1930s. The one cover ing 6 St Anne’s Cathedral
main entrance and, the baptistry ceil ing 7 Queen’s University
on the east side, Sir contains over 150,000 8 Ulster Museum
Edward Harland, pieces. The wide nave 9 Botanic Gardens
founder of the is paved with Canadian 0 Albert Memorial Clock Tower
Harland and Wolff maple and the aisles q W5
shipyard, which with Irish marble. w Titanic Belfast
built the Titanic. Lord Carson (1854–
A memorial to 1935), leader of the
those who died campaign against
when the Titanic Home Rule (see p48), 0 metres 500
sank in 1912 Detail of Titanic Memorial is buried in the 0 yards 500
stands close by. outside Belfast City Hall south aisle.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp302–3 and pp323–5
280-281_EW_Ireland.indd 280 25/04/16 11:03 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.9)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm