Belfast Attractions

West of the City Hall in Great Victoria Street stands the very ornate Opera House, well worth seeing.

Situated a few steps from the High Street the Albert Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1869 as a memorial to Queen Victoria's husband, the Prince Consort. The tower is often called "the Big Ben of Belfast" because of its similarity to the famous London landmark.

Belfast's Arts Council Sculpture Park showcases the bronze, steel, wood, iron and ceramics works by local artists.

To the north of Belfast, in addition to various parks, sports grounds and golf courses, lies Belfast Castle (1870), once the home of Lord Shaftesbury but now a restaurant.

The City Airport (4mi/6km north of the center of Belfast) only handles flights to and from destinations in Great Britain and Ireland.

Cavehill (1182ft/360m), volcanic in origin, has a profile supposed to resemble Napoleon's. In good weather the climb to the top of the hill is rewarded with splendid views of the city, Lough Neagh to the west and the Irish Sea coast to the east, with the Isle of Man in the far distance.

Figures of Britannia, Neptune and Mercury adorn the Custom House (1854-57) beside the River Lagan northeast of the City Hall.

Lagan Lookout is one of the newest attractions on the Donegall Quay. It features models which demonstrate the workings of the weir gates to control the tides. Other displays deal with engineering history in Belfast, the Lagan River's past, present and future, and Houdini's famous challenge of the Donegall Quay. Several interactive exhibits.

On the north of Donegall Square stands the Linen Hall Library (1788), with an exhibition on the history of linen manufacture.

A short distance north of the Botanic Gardens are the Tudor style buildings of the Queen's University, founded in 1845 and an independent institution since 1909. Charles Lanyon's redbrick campus was modeled on Magdalen College, Oxford, and incorporates a history museum.

Donegall Square and the adjoining streets, particularly Royal Avenue, are the city's main shopping streets, with large department stores.

The Royal Ulster Rifles Museum contains relics and memorabilia of the foot regiment and its predecessors from 1793 on.

Among several other churches worth visiting is the Sinclair Seamen's Presbyterian Church in Corporation Street, consecrated in 1853, which now houses a maritime museum.

This popular park includes a magnificent rose garden, which is open all summer. The garden is the venue for the annual International Rose Trials. The park also includes a Japanese Garden and Camellia beds.

To the north, by way of Royal Avenue and Church Street, is St Anne's Cathedral, the principal church of the (Anglican) Church of Ireland, begun in 1898 (architect Sir Thomas Drew). A neo-Romanesque building of the basilican type, it has three fine west doorways decorated with sculpture. The baptismal chapel has a mosaic ceiling made of hundreds of thousands of tiny pieces of glass. In the chapel is the tomb of Sir Edward Carson (died 1935), leader of the Ulster Unionists.

Among several other churches worth visiting is the Tudor style St Malachy's (Roman Catholic; 1848) on Alfred Street.

Among several other churches worth visiting is St Patrick's Pro-Cathedral (Roman Catholic; late 19th C. pre-Raphaelite tryptich) on Upper Donegall Street.

This is a dairy farm set in Gilnahirk hills. Visitors can feed the animals and watch the milking. There are a full range of farm and pet animals in the Pets Corner.

The Transport Museum in Witham Street has a collection of steam locomotives, trams and vintage cars.

Now part of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

To the north of Belfast, in addition to various parks, sports grounds and golf courses, lie the Zoological Gardens - in a lovely setting with beautiful views.

The Belfast zoo is set against the stunning backdrop of Cave Hill. Exhibits include: the Children's Farm, Spider Monkey Island, the Primate Enclosure, the African Enclosure, penguin and sealion pools, a polar bear canyon and a free flight aviary and bird-house.