Page 134 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

132  BRIT AIN AND IRELAND

Northern Ireland University, to the south of the
city, has two major attractions
The province of Northern Ireland was created after the in the Ulster Museum and the
partition of the island in 1921. Its six counties (plus Donegal, Botanic Gardens. The museum
Monaghan, and Cavan, which became part of the Republic) covers all aspects of Ulster, from
were part of Ulster, one of Ireland’s four traditional kingdoms. archaeology to technology. Its
treasures include jewelry from
Though densely populated and industrialized around Belfast, the Girona, a Spanish Armada
away from the capital the region is primarily agricultural. It ship that sank off the Giant’s
also has areas of outstanding natural beauty, notably the Causeway in 1588.
rugged Antrim coastline around the Giant’s Causeway.
E Titanic Belfast
Queen’s Rd. Tel 028-9076 6386.
stands close by. Sights in and Open daily. Closed Dec 24–26. &
around the square include the 8 7 - = ∑ titanicbelfast.com
Linen Hall Library, the late-
Victorian Grand Opera House E Ulster Museum
in Great Victoria Street, and Botanic Gardens. Tel 0845-608 000.
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. 8 -
Belfast’s most famous pub, the = 7 ∑ nmni.com
Crown Liquor Saloon, which
dates back to the 1880s.
Mosaic of St. Patrick’s journey to Ireland, The Neo-Romanesque u Giant’s
Belfast Cathedral Belfast Cathedral, in
Donegall Street, is the Causeway
y Belfast Protestant cathedral, Co. Antrim. £ to Portrush.
Co. Antrim. * 500,000. k £ @ consecrated in 1904. @ from Portrush, Bushmills,
n 9 Donegal Square (028-9024 The interior is or Coleraine. Visitors’ Center:
6609). _ Belfast Film Festival (Apr); remarkable for the (028-2073 1855). Open daily.
Balmoral Show (May); Belfast vast mosaics added - 8 on request. 7
International Arts Festival (Oct). by the two Misses limited. ∑ nationaltrust.
∑ visit-belfast.com Martin in the 1920s. org.uk/giants-causeway
Lord Carson (1854–
Belfast was the only city in 1935), implacable The bizarre regularity
Ireland to experience the full opponent of Home of the Giant’s
force of the Industrial Revolution. Rule, is buried in Causeway’s basalt
Its shipbuilding, linen, rope- the south aisle. Detail of Titanic Memorial columns has made
making, and tobacco industries Across the water, outside Belfast City Hall it the subject of
caused the population to rise to Titanic Belfast tells numerous legends.
almost 400,000 by the end of the story of the famous ship. The most popular tells how the
World War I. The wealth it enjoyed Away from the center, Belfast giant, Finn MacCool, laid the
is still evident in its imposing has pleasant suburbs unaffected causeway to provide a path
public buildings. The Troubles by the civil strife of the Troubles. across the sea to Scotland so
and the decline of traditional The area around Queen’s that he could do battle with
industries have damaged its
economic life, but Belfast
remains a handsome city.
The cross-community desire
for peace is palpable, with
many new restaurants and
clubs and a thriving arts scene.
Most of Belfast’s main streets
(and bus routes) radiate out
from Donegall Square. In its
center stands the Portland stone
bulk of the 1906 City Hall, with
its huge central copper dome.
Statues around the building
include Queen Victoria at the
front and, on the east side, Sir
Edward Harland, founder of the
Harland and Wolff shipyard,
which built the Titanic. A
memorial to those who died
when the ship sank in 1912 The ornate Victorian interior of the Crown Liquor Saloon
For hotels and restaurants see p138 and p139

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