Located on the shores of the Irish Sea, Belfast at first glance may seem like an inhospitable city. Rainy weather, piercing the cold wind, gray buildings … But this is only at first glance. Of course, Belfast can not be called a popular tourist destination, but in this ancient city there is something to see. Another thing is that it is worth to ask beforehand local places of interest, before going here – it will be easier.
At the shipyard in Belfast, one of the most notorious passenger liners in the world was built – the Titanic. Now in the city there is a museum dedicated to the first and last voyage of this ship-palace. Local residents joke that the Titanic was built by 700 Irishmen, and only 1 Englishman sunk.
In Belfast, and now is the world’s largest port for ship repair.
On the northern outskirts of Belfast lies the Cave Hill, 368 meters high, from which you can see a beautiful view of the city below. It is believed that it was this hill that inspired Jonathan Swift to write the “Adventures of Gulliver”.
In Belfast, there is another interesting hill – “The Nose of Napoleon”, named because of its unusual shape.
The Royal University of Belfast, which was established in the 12th century, began employing women 12 years earlier than for them there were training places in English Oxford.
The famous writer Oscar Wilde believed that throughout Belfast there is a single beautiful building. Now it is a network clothing store.
The Alberta Clock Tower in Belfast may well be considered “falling” – it is diverted from the central axis to the left by 1.25 meters because of an error of the designers who did not take marshy soil into account. The clock on the tower is a copy of the dial on the famous London “Big Ben”.
8. In the local theater Lyric began his career Hollywood actor Liam Neeson.
In the vicinity of Belfast, there are ancient Celtic fortresses built in the Bronze Age.
In Belfast, there is a monumental structure called the “Line of Peace” – a huge wall of concrete that separates the quarters of Catholics and Protestants.
One of the important attractions of the capital of Northern Ireland is the Guiness Beer Museum, which annually attracts nearly a million tourists.
In Belfast there is a 10-meter statue called “Big Fish” – on its scales in the form of text and pictures, the history of the city is depicted, and inside the works of art and the message to descendants are hidden.
One of the symbols of the city is Belfast Castle, which was erected in the 12th century and has since been rebuilt twice. The last reconstruction of the castle was held in the XIX century. The majestic building is surrounded by the Cat Garden, in which several sculptures of these pets are installed.
In Belfast there is a prison Kramlin Road, which from the middle of the XIX century until 1996 contained criminals sentenced to death. Then the prison was closed and turned into a museum. The building is the most popular place among ghost hunters, and for visitors who want to tickle their nerves, conduct excursions through gloomy corridors, solitary chambers and a room for executions.
The market of St. George in Belfast is famous throughout the UK for its first-class products and a huge selection of products. On Sundays, exhibitions of paintings and other works of art are held on the market.
In Belfast, you can visit two ship museums – “Nomadic” and “Caroline”. The first delivered passengers to the Titanic, and the second was the administrative headquarters of the Royal Navy of Britain during the war.
