Belfast

Photos (counter clock-wise): Linen Hall Library; City Hall; Grand Opera House

As the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast is a major city of 500,000 people, one-third of the population of Northern Ireland. It sits in a very attractive setting, rimmed by mountains and hills and nestled beside the River Lagan and Belfast Lough. Although only 100 miles north of Dublin, Belfast is a much younger city with distinctive Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

Belfast has long been a hub of industries such as linen production, rope-making, engineering, and ship-building. It is today the home of the world's largest dry dock. The most recent development has been along the River Lagan, with a new $20 million weir and a newly landscaped riverfront area known as Laganside which includes the city's latest showpiece - the circular-shaped Waterfront Hall, a 2,635-seat performing arts center.

A walk around Belfast brings you to dozens of unique buildings, landmarks, and cultural sites. Here is a sampling:

Donegall Square, a huge square in the heart of the city, is the focal point of the downtown area. City Hall is located here and most of the other prime sites are within a few blocks' walk.

City Hall, Donegall Square (tel. 9027-0456), is Belfast's central landmark, with a great green 173-foot-high dome visible for miles. Dating back to 1906, it's a vast Renaissance-style structure of Portland stone, modeled after St. Paul's Cathedral of London. The interior includes Edwardian-style stained glass and marble, ornate plasterwork, and a mural by Belfast artist John Luke depicting local industries such as ship-building and linen-making. Tours, which last about 45 minutes, require advance reservations (tel. 028-9032-0202 ext. 2346). Closed Sunday. (Note: Belfast City Hall is temporarily closed for renovation until 2009. Public tours of Belfast will resume when the building reopens).

Linen Hall Library, 17 Donegall Sq. N. (tel. 9032-1707), is Belfast's oldest lending library, founded in 1788 as an independent charitable institution. Housed in an old linen warehouse, it is designed in a distinctly Edwardian style. The shelves are lined with old and rare books as well as current volumes. Standout sections include a Robert Burns collection, an Irish collection of over 20,000 volumes, and a political collection of over 80,000 documents on every aspect of political life in Northern Ireland since 1968. Closed Sunday. Web site: www.linenhall.com

Grand Opera House, Great Victoria St. (tel. 9024-1919), is an ornate Victorian gem of a building dating back to 1894. The exterior is rich in fanciful turrets and curlicues, while the interior is a panorama of brass rails, gilded balconies, supportive elephants, and exotic motifs. It is the home of "Opera Northern Ireland" and an ever-changing program of ballet and concerts. The interior is not open to the public except for performances, but the eye-catching exterior can be enjoyed at all hours. Web site: www.goh.co.uk

W5 Museum, 2 Queen's Quay (tel. 028-9046-7700). Science is the theme of Belfast's huge 140-000-square-foot "Whowhatwherewhenwhy" Museum or W5 Museum, for short. The complete name says much about its mission - it focuses on the who, what, where, when and why of science, exploring many facets and discoveries, appealing to the curious of all ages. Step inside and encounter different types of experiences - from a simulated tornado and a kinetics display of flying tennis balls to a lie detector test. Or you can play music on a laser harp, make an animated cartoon, build a racing car or see yourself in the past with a video delay. It's a great way to spend a rainy day. W5 is located at the Odyssey Centre, a sprawling glass-and-metal complex along the docklands that also houses Northern Ireland's first ice hockey arena. Open daily, year-round. Web site: www.w5online.co.uk

St. Anne's Church of Ireland Cathedral, Lr. Donegall St. (tel. 9032-8332), is Belfast's principal cathedral. It took 86 years to build it completely — from 1899 to 1985, so it combines several architectural styles, but Irish Romanesque predominates. The interior is dominated by a long and lofty nave, and the baptistry ceiling features a striking mosaic commemorating the landing of St. Patrick at Saul in 432. Open daily. Web site: www.belfastcathedral.org

St. Malachy's Catholic Church, 24 Alfred St. (tel. 9032-1713), is a Tudor Revival building, dating from 1842, with a unique facade of red brick, stone-dressed castellations, and octangular corner turrets. The interior, designed on a lateral plan, features a lace-like fan-vaulted ceiling inspired by Henry VII's chapel at Westminster Abbey. Open daily.

Ulster Museum, Stranmillis Rd. (tel. 9038-3000), is the national museum for Northern Ireland and Belfast's star attraction outside the city center (take Citybus #69 to get here). This graceful classical-style four-story building is a treasure-trove of history, geography, science, and culture, reflecting 9,000 years of information and discoveries. Highlights include a section on Ulster with samples of original spinning wheels used in linen-making, currency dating back to the 13th-century, and watercolors and oil paintings of Belfast's early days. Allow two to three hours at a minimum to take it all in. A free "route map" is yours for the asking. Open daily. Web site: www.ulstermuseum.org.uk

Botanic Gardens, University Rd. and Stranmillis Rd. (tel. 9032-4902), is Belfast's chief horticultural attraction, located adjacent to the Ulster Museum. Established in 1829, this 28-acre verdant setting is known for its rose garden and herbaceous border sections. The grounds include two unique buildings — the Palm House, a curvilinear cast-iron glasshouse, containing exotic palms and other delicate plants from around the world; and the Victorian-style Tropical Ravine, sheltering exotic warm weather ferns and jungle plants. Open daily. Web site: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/parksdetails.asp?id=54

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