Information about the city:
Full title: Belfast, England Belfast (Irish: Beal Feirste, OLS: Bilfawst)
A country:
County: Antrim
Population (with surrounding area): 0.58 million people
Square: 115 sq. km.
On the coast of the Irish Sea, at the mouth of the River Lagan, is the beautiful city of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. This area was inhabited back in the days Bronze Age. To this day, on the hills in the area you can see the remains of the Ring of the Giants, the famous Henge monument, which is thousands of years old, and other ruins of ancient cities that have come down to us since the Iron Age.
In 1177, a castle was built on the site of modern Belfast by the Englishman John de Courcy. However, in fact, the city appeared several centuries later, when King James began settling Ulster with English and Scottish settlers in 1609.
In 1611, Sir Arthur Chichister, owner of lands in Ulster (including Belfast Castle), rebuilt it, and soon a small town arose around the fortress. In the 17th century, the city's population increased to 2,000 thousand people. This was due to the flight of the Huguenots from persecution by the French, and the refugees were mainly engaged in the production of flax.
In the following years the city developed very quickly, and by 1800 the population had increased tenfold. In the 53th century, a newspaper began to be published in Belfast (in 1737), the first bank (in 1752) and a theater were opened (in 1768). In those same years, flax production and exports increased sharply.
In the 19th century, the city's growth was no less rapid. In 1823, the city received gas lighting at its disposal, and 15 years later a building was built there. Railway. Shipbuilding was developing no less actively, the port was working at full capacity.
The year 1888 was marked important event: Queen Victoria granted Belfast the status of a royal city. At that time, a variety of institutions were built there: hospitals, churches, and a university. And then, at the end of the century, the production of whiskey and tobacco products began to play an important role in the city’s economy.
1921 is the year Northern Ireland was founded. From the very first days, Belfast became its capital and a kind of center of confrontation between Catholics and Protestants. The peak of this conflict occurred from 1960 to 1990. It was officially exhausted in 1998, resulting in the signing of the Belfast Agreement.
The city was subjected to regular and extremely brutal raids by Nazi Germany during World War II. One of these bombings claimed the lives of thousands of citizens, and tens of thousands of others lost their homes and other property.
Today, this city invariably attracts an increasing number of tourists from all over the world. The city has two airports, a railway station and a port. Belfast, more than any other Irish city, has a wide variety of museums, galleries, theaters and parks - it is a true cultural centre.
Tourists can visit luxurious restaurants, cozy bistros and shopping malls. Special attention It's worth paying attention to the Donegall area. It is surrounded by magnificent Victorian monuments.
In addition, the town hall is located here, a true example of a mixture of architectural styles. Most of the works of Irish literature are kept in the Linen Hall Library, which is also located in the square.
The High Saint area, better known as the Entrance and located in the north, is the oldest area of the city. Almost all of it was destroyed during the Second World War. Currently, only a few pubs remain from it - a kind of custodians of the glory and spirit of bygone times.
The Opera building was also damaged by bombing, but even now, after restoration, it amazes visitors with its beauty and wealth. The opera hosts on its stage the best singers and performers, famous ballet troupes and renowned jazz and symphony orchestras of the world.
Next to Queen's University is the excellent Ulster Museum, which showcases the history and culture of the city. In the suburbs you can see the famous Belfast Castle, which can now hardly be attributed to the 12th century - its last restoration dates back to 1870. Stormont is also located there - the meeting place of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
From Dublin we went to the city Belfast, capital Northern Ireland. We headed northeast and soon, without even noticing, we found ourselves in another country. From the Irish Republic we moved to Great Britain, or more precisely to Northern Ireland, which is part of Great Britain along with England, Scotland and.
The city of Belfast turned out to be even more unremarkable than. However, even here it was possible to hunt for sights. But - exactly what to hunt. If in other cities something interesting awaits you at every step, then in Belfast you need to arm yourself with a map with attractions and follow the route. Then there is a chance that you will have a fun time, and Belfast will hook you. In general, you need to make some effort and have a desire to get to know the city better.
I will say about myself that I expected the worst. Still, you will agree that Belfast and Ulster are associated in the mind with something alarming and dysfunctional. Ulster was always mentioned exclusively in connection with regular clashes between Catholics and Protestants. To this day, Catholics in Belfast live in special quarters surrounded by a wall. Therefore, I expected to see echoes of this confrontation (say, an increased number of police on the streets, gloomy, wary people), but the center of Belfast made a favorable impression, people were friendly and open. The atmosphere was quite simple, even poor in places, but there was no sense of wariness in the atmosphere. On the contrary, like any port city, Belfast gave the impression of an open and free space, familiar and loyal to various types of public.
A little history and geography
Belfast is located on the shores of the Irish Sea, at the mouth of the river Lagan. The city center is flat and the city is surrounded by hills. A castle was built on one of these hills back in the 12th century. The urban settlement arose much later, in the 17th century, and received city status relatively recently - in 1888, under Queen Victoria.
The convenient bay has long been used by the inhabitants of the neighboring island Britannia to advance deeper into Ireland and conquer the local population. It got to the point where the Irish were forbidden to speak their language. The Irish tried to reclaim their land for several centuries. A particularly strong confrontation began when Henry 8 established the Anglican Church and began to plant it in Ireland (the Irish profess Catholicism, brought to the Emerald Isle by St. Patrick).
After the Anglo-Irish War, which ended in 1921, the Irish reconquered most islands (on which the state was subsequently created Republic of Ireland). And only 6 counties of the province Ulster(Ulster includes 9 counties in total) remained part of Great Britain. Belfast became the capital Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland is considered to be the poorest part of Great Britain, and the Republic of Ireland is even poorer. But if we compare Dublin and Belfast, then Dublin seemed to me lively, livelier and more cheerful, and in general somehow more prosperous than Belfast. However, let's move on to exploring the city.
Town Hall and Donegall Square
The most representative part of Belfast is the huge rectangular Donegall Square, the central part of which is occupied by the magnificent Town Hall, built between 1898 and 1906. in neo-baroque style.
Belfast Town Hall
City hall is the main attraction of Belfast, and usually the presentation of the city begins with it. The building is indeed magnificent, with numerous monuments along the perimeter, among which the monument to Queen Victoria in front of the main entrance stands out (she awarded Belfast the status of a city).
The lawns around the Town Hall are loved by young people, and such a celebration of life on the lawns is very English.
You can go on a tour to the town hall itself and see its interiors. Such excursions take place 3 times a day: at 11, 14 and 15 o'clock on weekdays and at 12, 14 and 15 o'clock on weekends.
Near the town hall there is a memorial to the victims of the Titanic (which was built in the Belfast shipyards). The names of those killed in the shipwreck are engraved on the plaques. The square around the Town Hall is called Titanic Memorial Gardens
The town hall is surrounded by beautiful, metropolitan-style, solid houses.
We are primarily interested in the tourism office, which is located on the north side of Donegall Square (house 9). How to find it. We stand with our backs to Queen Victoria, facing the street Donegall Place going north, and look for the letter “i” on the left side of the square. There you will get a map with the sights of Belfast.
Donegall place street
Having taken the map, we go along Donegall place street. This is a shopping and souvenir street. Along its right side there are metal arches - monuments to the most famous liners made in the Belfast shipyards. Among them you will find the famous Titanic and its two “brothers”: Britannic and Olympic.
We reach the first lane on the right and turn into it. The lane is called Castle lane.
He brings to irregular shape square Arthur Square, to which several more streets approach from different sides.
There is a composition of rings on the square. This is the so-called Spirit of Belfast. Its steel rings are intended to symbolize the power of ships and the lightness of fabric: the textile industry and shipbuilding were main industries of the city. However local residents The sculpture was nicknamed “Onion Rings.”
A large shopping center begins to the right of Arthur Square Plaza Victoria. The street goes to the left Cornmarket, former grain market. It leads to a wide avenue High street, leading towards the Lagan River. The landmark will be a tall, free-standing tower - Albert Memorial Clock.
On the left side there will be a pointer to White Tavern, Belfast's oldest pub. It was founded in 1630.
A narrow street, like a crack, leads to it.
This is what the historic White Tavern pub looks like.
During your walk you will come across pubs quite often. This is a very simple pub.
On the streets of Belfast
Here's a more intricate one
We continue towards the river and soon find ourselves at the foot of the Albert Clock Tower.
The Prince Albert Clock Tower was built in 1869. The Prince is depicted in the uniform of a Knight of the Order of the Garter. Since the soil on the coast is weak, the tower began to deviate from the vertical over the years. Now the tilt of the tower is very noticeable.
The blank facades of houses are often decorated with huge, skillfully executed graffiti
Lagan Quay
We go out to the embankment. On the shore, Big Fish attracts attention.
The surface of the fish is covered with ceramic tiles, which depict the history of Belfast: in documents, drawings, photographs.
The Lagan River is not wide. We cross the pedestrian bridge to the right bank. We return via another bridge.
Another notable monument is the Thanksgiving Statue, or “Beacon of Hope.”
Cathedral Quarter
Along Ann street and Victoria street we approach Church of St. George. Anglican churches modest in design. What is attractive about this church is the projecting portico.
In general, we are in Cathedral quartier. This is indicated by a black sign with a description. And such signs are placed in Belfast near every attraction.
There are several churches in the Cathedral Quarter. And from St. George's Church I headed to the next church on Rosemary Street. Which I didn’t find right away. And no wonder. I would never have thought that this faceless building was a church. It was only from the inscription on the plaque that I learned that this was Belfast's first Presbyterian church, built in 1644. The present building was built in 1783.
Belfast Cathedral - St. Anne's Cathedral - is also, of course, in the Cathedral Quarter. It began to be built at the end of the 19th century on the site of an old church. Construction continued until 1981.
How varied are the designs on the columns?
In front of the Cathedral there is a large Writers’ square. Various cultural events and festivals are held at Writers Square.
In May 1941 Belfast was heavily bombed. In the Cathedral Quarter in particular, many buildings were destroyed.
In the park behind the Cathedral
The street in front of St. Anne's Cathedral is called Donegall street. If you follow it further north, you can reach the next cathedral - St. Patrick's(1877). I went back to the center, since we were still planning to stop at Belfast Castle.
Locals jokingly call Donegall Street “Spend thrift” - “leave frugality”, because it begins at the bank and ends at the house for the poor.
Decorated brick facade
Buildings in Belfast
Wide Bridge street leads to High street. And now the Town Hall is visible.
Overall, during the walk there were many interesting buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately, the Opera building was in the woods, but judging by the photographs, it is quite remarkable. I also didn’t make it to Belfast University. In the photographs, its red brick façade reminded me of some colleges. Near the university there is a free Ulster Museum, which contains a variety of artifacts, ranging from antiquities to works of art.
Titanic Museum
The Titanic Museum is located on the other side of the Lagan, near the shipyards where the ill-fated liner was once built. The ticket is quite expensive, 21 euros. We arrived when it was already closed, so we just looked at the unusual museum building and the shipyard.
I don’t even know if I would like to go to this museum. Perhaps if, by the will of fate, I would someday find myself in Belfast, and I would need to somehow pass the time.
Belfast Castle
The castle is located on one of the hills closest to the city - Cave Hill. The first castle was built under the Normans, and subsequently it was rebuilt several times. What we see now was built by the 3rd Marquess of Donegall in 1870. In 1934, the castle was donated to the city. Now it hosts special events, conferences, exhibitions, and is rented for weddings.
The inside of the castle is quite modest, but from its windows there is a view of the neighboring hills and the sea harbor.
Which administrative and political part does the city of Belfast belong to?
Belfast is part of the administrative and political part of Northern Ireland.The administrative and political part is an enlarged territory consisting of several constituent entities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
What county (district) is the city of Belfast located in?
The city of Belfast is part of County Antrim.A characteristic of a county (district) or a subject of a country is the possession of the integrity and interconnection of its constituent elements, including cities and other settlements, included in the county (district).
County (district) Antrim is an administrative unit of the state of Great Britain.
Population of the city of Belfast.
The population of the city of Belfast is 339,600 people.What time zone is Belfast located in?
The city of Belfast is located in the administrative time zone: UTC+0, in summer UTC+1. In this way, you can determine the time difference in the city of Belfast, relative to the time zone in your city.Belfast area code
Telephone code Belfast city: +44-28. In order to call the city of Belfast from a mobile phone, you need to dial the code: +44-28 and then the subscriber’s number directly.Official website of the City of Belfast.
Website of the City of Belfast, official website of the City of Belfast or as it is also called “Official Website of the City of Belfast Administration”: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/.Flag of the city of Belfast.
The Belfast City Flag is the official symbol of the city and is represented on the page as an image.Coat of arms of the city of Belfast.
The description of the city of Belfast presents the coat of arms of the city of Belfast, which is distinctive sign cities.Javascript is required to view this map
Belfast is the capital and is located at the mouth of the River Lagan, on the coast of the Irish Sea. Shipbuilding and light industry are widely developed here. The local city port became famous for the fact that in 1911 the legendary steamship of that time, the Titanic, was launched onto its waters. According to historical data, the city appeared in these places in 1609, when, during the reign of King James, the region began to be settled by settlers from England and Scotland. By this time, there was already a castle built here in 1177 by the Englishman John de Courcy. Sir Arthur Chichester, having received the right to own the land from the king, rebuilt the castle and after some time a city began to grow in the surrounding area.
Today's Belfast is a sensible combination of well-groomed European capital and a traditional seaport. The abundance of temples, museums, palaces and historical buildings makes Belfast look like famous cities in Europe, and huge sea vessels, fishing yachts, with associated equipment and giant cranes unloading large containers around the clock, allow you to plunge into the everyday routine that lives in large port centers.
One of Belfast's most important landmarks is the City Hall building in Donegall's central square, which is a unique combination of several architectural styles. City Hall blends harmoniously into the surrounding landscape, which contains buildings from different periods of construction, from traditional Victorian to modern modern. Next to the town hall there is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Titanic disaster in 1911. Excursions to these places are held every day, the main goal of which is to convey cultural and historical meaning City Hall. Not far from the town hall is located St. Anne's Cathedral, characterized by exquisite design and elegant design. Opposite the cathedral lies Royal Avenue, known as the main shopping artery of the capital. There are shops, shopping malls, beauty salons, jewelry establishments and souvenir shops. All foreigners who come to Belfast for shopping head here first.
Belfast's oldest district is The Entrance, which was completely destroyed during the Second World War but has been rebuilt and regenerated. Here is a building glowing with multi-colored lights in the evening Grand Opera, cultural heritage Northern Ireland - Ulster Museum and center higher education – Queens University. The surrounding Belfast area has a wonderful suburban Cave Hill Park. A great place for entertaining with the whole family is the local zoo, which has an impressive territory where numerous representatives of the animal world, collected from all over the planet, live.
The most romantic object in the vicinity of the capital is undoubtedly the historical Belfast Castle. It is located a few kilometers from the city and is surrounded by picturesque green hills, which offer wonderful views of the gardens surrounding the castle, as well as other amazing landscapes. After a major restructuring in the second half of the 19th century, it for a long time belonged to the Donegall family, and in 1884 came into the possession of the Shaftesbury family family, which in 1934 transferred the castle to the city administration. After restoration, a museum was opened there, which still enjoys great attention from Belfast guests. For many years, the owners of the castle always kept a fluffy white cat in its rooms, which, according to tradition, brought good luck to its owners. After the castle came into municipal ownership, the tradition did not change, and now there are several of these cats on its territory, which now bring good luck not to its owners, but to numerous visitors.
The symbol of the capital of Northern Ireland is Albert Clock Tower, located a couple of hundred meters from Customs Square, which was once the busiest place in the city, but now appears to be an ordinary pedestrian area with eateries and pubs. The height of the clock tower is 35 meters, and it would not be so remarkable if it had more than one feature. The fact is that the structure is planned as an analogue of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and has a slight tilt to the side by 125 centimeters. The central part of the tower is decorated with a statue of Prince Albert, who died in 1861, and the clock face is a copy of the one installed on Big Ben in London.
Not far from the city center, where the bridge over the River Lagan is located, next to the dam, there is the most unusual exhibition in Belfast - a large ceramic fish, about 10 meters long. It has been installed here since 1999 and symbolizes the important importance that the fishing industry has for the Northern Irish capital. Behind a short time the fish became a real mascot of the city. Many tourists do not pass by this unusual statue without petting it or taking a photo with it as a souvenir.
The climatic conditions in Belfast are not particularly mild, but they cannot be called harsh either. In the summer months, the air temperature here rarely exceeds +18 degrees, and in winter it almost never drops below +5. But nighttime fluctuations are very significant, especially in the warm season. Precipitation occurs regularly, but most of it occurs in January, September and October. Belfast is incomparable in popularity with such cities
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| City | |||
| English Belfast irl. Béal Feirste flattish-scottish Bilfawst |
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| 54°35′48″ n. w. 5°56′18″ W d. | |||
| A country | |||
| Provinces | |||
| County | Antrim | ||
| History and geography | |||
| City with | 17th century | ||
| Square | 115 km² | ||
| Center height | 3m | ||
| Timezone | UTC+0, summer UTC+1 | ||
| Population | |||
| Population | 339,600 people (2016) | ||
| Katoykonim | Belfastian, Belfastians | ||
| Digital IDs | |||
| Telephone code | +44-28 | ||
| belfastcity.gov.uk (English) | |||
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Belfast(English Belfast ["belfɑːst], Irish Béal Feirste, Polish-Scottish Bilfawst) - in, capital. Located at the mouth of the Lagan, on the Irish Sea.
Belfast - main city(seat of government) and port of Northern Ireland. Most Big City historical province of Ulster. Population (including suburbs) - more than 500 thousand inhabitants (2016). The second city in terms of population after.
Mechanical engineering (large shipbuilding), light industry. University. Known since the 12th century. After the division of Ireland (1921) and until the end of the 20th century, it was one of the centers of conflict on religious grounds in Northern Ireland. In 1911, the Titanic steamship was launched at the English shipyard Harland and Wolf in Belfast.
Story
Royal Avenue Belfast
The area of modern Belfast has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. In the area, on the hills, you can still see the remains of the Giant's Ring (5000 year old Henge), and hill forts preserved from the Iron Age. In 1177, the Englishman John de Courcy built a castle on this site, but the actual appearance of the city is considered to be 1609, when King James I began settling Ulster with English and Scottish settlers. Sir Arthur Chichester took possession of land in Ulster, including Belfast Castle, which he rebuilt in 1611. A small town arose around this castle.
IN early XVII century the population of Belfast was approximately 1,000 people. Wool, leather, grains, butter and corned beef were all exported to England, Scotland and France. Belfast later began active trade with the colonies in North America and India. IN late XVII century, the population increased to 1500-2000 people due to the French Huguenots, who were engaged in linen production, fleeing persecution. In the 18th century, the population grew rapidly. By 1800 there were already about 20,000 people. The first ones were founded: a newspaper in 1737, a bank in 1752 and a theater in 1768. The production and export of flax also increased sharply.
Belfast continued its rapid growth in the 19th century, and already in 1888 it received official city status from Queen Victoria. Hospitals, a university, churches, etc. were built. Gas lighting appeared in the city in 1823, and the first railway service appeared in 1839. There was a boom in shipbuilding and port operations. TO end of the 19th century century, the production of whiskey and tobacco products played an important role in the city. An opera house was built.
Belfast has been the capital of Northern Ireland since its founding in 1921. Since then, it has become the center of the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, which peaked between 1960 and 1990. The conflict officially ended in 1998 with the Belfast Agreement. During World War II, the city was heavily bombed by German aircraft. One such air raid in 1941 cost the lives of about 1,000 people and left tens of thousands homeless. In the 21st century, Belfast is a rapidly developing city, attracting more and more tourists.
Politics and administrative division
Local government
Belfast Town Hall
The city of Belfast has a mayoral form of local government. The officials are the Lord Mayor, his Deputy and the High Sheriff, who are elected from among the members of the Belfast City Council, which in turn consists of 51 councilors representing the city's 9 constituencies ( Oldpark, Castle, Victoria, Pottinger, Laganbank, Balmoral, Upper Falls, Lower Falls And Court), and is divided into departments and committees overseeing different areas.
In the 2005 elections, council seats were divided as follows:
- 15 - Democratic Unionist Party
- 14 - Sinn Féin
- 8 - Social Democratic and Labor Party
- 7 - Ulster Unionist Party
- 4 - Alliance Party
- 2 - Progressive Unionist Party
- 1 - Independent candidate
Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament
Northern Ireland Parliament
Belfast, as the capital of Northern Ireland, is home to the Northern Ireland Assembly - the elected legislative branch of Northern Ireland, which has the power to make a wide range of laws, as well as appoint the executive. The seat of the Assembly is the Houses of Parliament - Stormont
Physiographic characteristics
Belfast is located on the east coast of Ireland. Coordinates 54°35′49″ n. w. 05°55′45″ W d.. It lies at the western end of Belfast Lough at the mouth of the River Lagan and is protected from the north-west by a chain of hills. All this is ideal for the shipbuilding industry that once made the city famous.
| Belfast Climate | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | Jan. | Feb. | March | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Year |
| Absolute maximum, °C | 13,6 | 14,9 | 15,7 | 21,1 | 24,2 | 29,0 | 28,6 | 28,0 | 24,9 | 20,6 | 16,0 | 14,4 | 29,0 |
| Average maximum, °C | 6,9 | 7,3 | 9,2 | 11,6 | 14,7 | 17,2 | 18,9 | 18,6 | 16,4 | 12,8 | 9,4 | 7,3 | 12,5 |
| Average temperature, °C | 4,5 | 4,6 | 6,2 | 8,0 | 10,8 | 13,4 | 15,3 | 14,9 | 12,9 | 9,9 | 6,9 | 4,8 | 9,4 |
| Average minimum, °C | 2,5 | 2,3 | 3,4 | 4,6 | 7,1 | 9,9 | 11,9 | 11,6 | 9,8 | 7,3 | 4,5 | 2,5 | 6,5 |
| Absolute minimum, °C | −10 | −7 | −7 | −4,3 | −2 | 2,0 | 3,9 | 2,3 | 0,0 | −3 | −8,6 | −14,9 | −14,9 |
| Precipitation rate, mm | 80 | 54 | 68 | 57 | 57 | 60 | 70 | 95 | 73 | 88 | 77 | 76 | 855 |