The architectural style of Belfast’s buildings range from Edwardian, like the City Hall, to modern, like Waterfront Hall. Many of the city’s Victorian landmarks, including the main Lanyon Building at Queen’s University Belfast and the Linenhall Library, were designed by Sir Charles Lanyon.
The City Hall was finished in 1906 and was built to reflect Belfast’s city status, granted by Queen Victoria in 1888. The Edwardian architectural style of Belfast City Hall influenced the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta, India, and Durban City Hall in South Africa. The dome is 173 ft (53 m) high and figures above the door state “Hibernia encouraging and promoting the Commerce and Arts of the City”.
Among the city’s grandest buildings are two former banks: Ulster Bank in Waring Street (built in 1860) and Northern Bank, in nearby Donegall Street (built in 1769). The Royal Courts of Justice in Chichester Street are home to Northern Ireland’s Supreme Court. Many of Belfast’s oldest buildings are found in the Cathedral Quarter area, which is currently undergoing redevelopment as the city’s main cultural and tourist area. Windsor House, 262 ft (80 m) high, has 23 floors and is the second tallest building (as distinct from structure) in Ireland. Work has started on the taller Obel Tower, which already surpasses the height of Windsor House in its unfinished state.
The ornately decorated Crown Liquor Saloon, designed by Joseph Anderson in 1876, in Great Victoria Street is one of only two pubs in the UK that are owned by the National Trust (the other is the George Inn, Southwark in London). It was made internationally famous as the setting for the classic film, Odd Man Out, starring James Mason. The restaurant panels in the Crown Bar were originally made for Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic, built in Belfast.
The Harland and Wolff shipyard has two of the largest dry docks in Europe, where the giant cranes, Samson and Goliath stand out against Belfast’s skyline. Including the Waterfront Hall and the Odyssey Arena, Belfast has several other venues for performing arts. The architecture of the Grand Opera House has an oriental theme and was completed in 1895. It was bombed several times during the Troubles but has now been restored to its former glory. The Lyric Theatre, (re-opened 1 May 2011 after undergoing a rebuilding programme) the only full-time producing theatre in the country, is where film star Liam Neeson began his career. The Ulster Hall (1859–1862) was originally designed for grand dances but is now used primarily as a concert and sporting venue. Lloyd George, Parnell and Patrick Pearse all attended political rallies there.
Chronology and Styles
The architecture of Belfast comprises many styles of architecture ranging from Georgian through to state-of-the-art modern buildings like the Waterfront Hall and Titanic Belfast. The city’s beautiful Victorian and Edwardian buildings are notable for their display of a large number of sculptures. Many of Belfast’s Victorian landmarks, including the main Lanyon Building at Queens University in 1849, were designed by Sir Charles Lanyon.
Belfast became a substantial settlement in the 17th century after being established as a town by Sir Arthur Chichester,. None of the buildings from Belfast’s first century as a market town on the river Farset survive today. The only significant structures in those early years from 1613 would have been a castle established by Sir Arthur Chichester, and the parish church at the foot of High Street, where a ‘chapel of the ford’ had been erected by 1306, and where St George’s church now stands.
Georgian
Clifton House
The Exchange and Assembly Rooms
Victorian
Botanic Gardens Palm House
Lanyon Building
16 Victoria Street
Union Theological College
The Custom House
Ulster Hall
The Headline Building
Clarence House
Queen Street Childrens Hospital
The Scottish Provident Institution
Edwardian and 20th century
Belfast City Hall
Parliament Buildings
Windsor House
Belfast City Hospital Tower
Waterfront Hall
BT Riverside Tower
Belfast Hilton
21st century
In 2011 and 2012 Belfast saw the creation of two buildings described as “two of the most stunning new British buildings of the century”, namely the Lyric Theatre (2011) by Irish architects O’Donnell and Tuomey and the Belfast MAC (2012) by local architectural practice Hackett Hall McKnight. In contrast, the new boat-shaped Titanic Museum (2012) was described by The Telegraph as “startlingly inane”.
Obel Tower
Victoria Square
The Boat
Titanic Belfast
The MAC
Lanyon Plaza
Cityscape
The buildings and structures of Belfast, Northern Ireland comprise many styles of architecture ranging from Edwardian through to state-of-the-art modern buildings like the Waterfront Hall. The city’s beautiful Edwardian buildings are notable for their display of a large number of sculptures. Many of Belfast’s Victorian landmarks, including the main Lanyon Building at Queens University in 1849, were designed by Sir Charles Lanyon.
The City Hall, was finished in 1906 and was built to reflect Belfast’s City status, granted by Queen Victoria in 1888. The Dome is 53 metres (173 ft) high. Figures above the door are “Hibernia encouraging and promoting the Commerce and Arts of the City”. Among the city’s grandest buildings are two former banks: Ulster Bank (1860), in Waring Street and Northern Bank (1769), in nearby Donegall Street. The Royal Courts of Justice in Chichester Street are home to Northern Ireland’s Supreme Court. Some of Belfast’s oldest buildings still remain in the Cathedral Quarter area, which is currently undergoing redevelopment as the city’s main cultural and tourist area.
The world’s largest dry dock is located in the city, and the giant cranes (Samson and Goliath) of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, builders of the Titanic, can be seen from afar. Other long-gone industries included Irish linen and rope-making.
The four star Europa Hotel, located in the City Centre, was bombed twenty-seven times during the troubles and is one of the most bombed hotels in Europe Across the street, the ornately decorated Crown Liquor Saloon in Great Victoria Street is notable as being the only bar owned by the National Trust. The panels used in the restaurant on the first floor were meant for Brittanic, the sister ship of the Titanic. It was made internationally famous as the setting for the classic film, Odd Man Out, starring James Mason.
Belfast also contains the tallest building (as distinct from structure) on the island of Ireland. The Obel Tower stands at 85 m (279 ft) and has twenty-eight floors. Windsor House at 80 m (260 ft) was the previous tallest building.
The Albert Clock stands at the end of High Street, and was designed by William J. Barre and built in memory of Queen Victoria’s Prince Consort, Prince Albert. The clock stands 35 m high, was built on land reclaimed from the river, and leans 1.25 m off the vertical. The Linen Hall Library in Donegall Square North is Belfast’s oldest library, founded in 1788 to acquire ‘philosophical apparatus and such productions of nature and art as are calculated to enlarge knowledge’
St George’s Market, built between 1890 and 1896, is Belfast’s last surviving Victorian covered market. It was restored at a cost of £4.5 million in 1997, and hosts regular Friday and Saturday markets. Near the Market is Saint Malachy’s Catholic Church. Built between 1841 and 1844, it is built in the Tudor Revival style and is unique in Ireland. It is also one of only two buildings remaining in Belfast which was constructed with hand-made bricks. Hamilton Street is a Georgian terrace in the Markets Area, originally built in the 1830s, which was restored in 1988 by Hearth.
Belfast has several venues for performing arts. The Grand Opera House was completed in 1895 was bombed several times during the Troubles but has been restored to its former glory. The Ulster Hall (1859–1862) was originally designed for grand dances but is now used primarily as a concert and sporting venue. Lloyd George, Parnell and Patrick Pearse all attended political rallies there. It holds 13 paintings of Belfast History. The Mulholland organ costing 3000 guineas was donated and named after a local wealthy industrialist. The Waterfront Hall was opened in 1997 as part of the redevelopment of the Laganside and already has become an icon of modern Belfast. Under construction in 2007 is the new Victoria Square development with a huge glass dome. The Victoria Square in now completed.
Source From Wikipedia