100 Facts About Belfast

Interesting City Facts 1 - 10

Belfast is both the capital city of and largest city in Northern Ireland.
The name 'Belfast' is derived from the Irish Béal Feirste, meaning 'mouth of the sandbank ford'.
Belfast is situated at the mouth of the River Lagan and the head of Belfast Lough.
The city has a population of over 345,000 and close to 700,000 in its metropolitan area.
Belfast is known for its rich maritime history and shipbuilding industry.
RMS Titanic was built at Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard.
The city is also well known for its linen production.
Whilst the city was known for its troubled past it is now known globally for its peace process.
Belfast is famous for its political & cultural murals which now also include peace and hertitage themes.
Belfast is now more than 400 years old.

Interesting City Facts 11 - 20

Belfast has four parliamentary constituencies and as such 4 MPs elected to the House of Commons.
The city has 60 elected councillors which represent the people in Belfast City Council.
Belfast City Hall one of the city's most prominent landmarks was only completed in 1906.
The Northern Ireland Assembly sits at Parliament Buildings, Stormont in the East of Belfast.
The city elects 5 members to this Assembly for each of the four Belfast constituency areas.
Queen's University Belfast was founded in 1845 and is one of the leading universities in the United Kingdom.
The Ulster University opened its new state of the art Belfast campus in 2021/2022.
The city has developed a vibrant film industry that attracts production companies from around the world.
Belfast's economy is driven by industries such as aerospace, healthcare, and information technology.
Belfast is a must stop shop for most US Presidents, with Clinton, Obama, Bush and Biden all visiting.

Interesting City Facts 21 - 30

Cathedral Quarter contains both modern & historic buildings and continues to be developed as a cultural hub.
Titanic Quarter is home to Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and HMS Caroline.
The Titanic Hotel is H&W's old drawing rooms where RMS Titanic was designed.
Belfast's skyline cranes were not around at the time of the building of RMS Titanic.
Titanic Quarter continues to be developed and contains offices, housing and cultural attractions.
Belfast loves culture and is home to the Grand Opera House, a historic theatre landmark dating back to 1895.
The city has a rich literary tradition, with strong connections to authors such as C.S. Lewis.
The city has various museums with the Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens being its main one.
The city zoo is called Belfast Zoo, located at Bellevue it is home to over 1,000 animals.
Belfast Castle, located in Cavehill Country Park, offers panoramic views of the city and Belfast Lough.

Interesting City Facts 31 - 40

The city has a strong sporting heritage in football, Gaelic football, snooker, rugby and golf.
Ravenhill or the Kingspan Stadium in the south east of the city is the home of Ulster Rugby.
Sons of the city include Alex Higgins, Frank Carson, Jimmy Ellis, Van Morrison & George Best.
Golfing star Rory McIlroy is from Holywood on the outside edge of East Belfast.
The Belfast Giants are the city's home ice hockey team.
The annual Belfast City Marathon attracts thousands of participants from around the world.
The SSE Arena in Titanic Quarter is Belfast's premier entertainment and concerts venue.
The Waterfront Hall is a concert & entertainment venue, famed for President Bill Clinton's speech in 1998.
The annual Belfast Film Festival showcases the best in local and international cinema.
Belfast festivals include the annual festival at Queen's, an annual arts and culture festival.

Interesting City Facts 41 - 50

Belfast hosts one of the largest Orange Order parade each year in July called Orange Fest.
The city also hosts the Féile an Phobail each year.
At the end of July the city hosts the annual Gay Pride parade and events.
Since the peace Belfast looks to what unites it, what it can agree on rather than what it doesn't agree on.
Belfast's reputation around the world as one of it's friendliest cities is growing.
Belfast is now a city cruise ships choose to stop and visit with tens of thousands visiting each year.
The city is served by two airports, the International Airport at Aldergrove and the City Airport in East Belfast.
Belfast Central Station, a train station was renamed Lanyon Place in September 2018.
The city is to open a new central hum for buses and trains called Grand Central Station in 2024.
Stena Line is the city's main passenger ferry service, with P&O operating service from the Port of Larne.

Interesting City Facts 51 - 60

The city has regional offices of the BBC & ITV, with BBC NI Broadcasting House & UTV in Titanic Quarter
Belfast Telegraph is the city's main daily newspaper, covering news, sports, and entertainment.
Arguably the 'Belfast Live' website is the city's main news portal.
The Belfast Peace Walls which separate Catholic & Protestant communities are now more of a tourist attraction.
The Belfast Hills, Cavehill, Divis Mountain & Castlereagh Hills offer stunning views of the city.
Arguably the biggest Christian Church in Belfast is at Whitewell in North Belfast.
The city has a number of historic parks including Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park, Lady Dixon Park.
Tours to the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site are available from Belfast City Centre.
Games of Thrones Tours are also available to join from Belfast City Centre.
Belfast has a strong tradition of street art, with murals and graffiti adorning gable walls throughout the city.

Interesting City Facts 61 - 70

Belfast Central Library in Royal Avenue, one of the city's iconic buildings was built in 1888.
The Linen Hall Library, the oldest library in Belfast was founded in 1788, it sits facing City Hall.
St. George's Market is one of the UK's oldest covered markets. It was established in 1890.
A prominent landmark in Belfast is the Albert Memorial Clock, built in 1865.
One of Belfast's most famous bars is The Crown Liquor Saloon built in 1826 & owned by the National Trust.
The Ulster Hall built in 1862 is an historic concert hall in the city hosting concerts, events & boxing fixtures.
The Lyric Theatre is Northern Ireland's only full-time theatre to produce its own productions from page to stage.
Belfast is home to the Ulster Orchestra, Northern Ireland's only professional symphony orchestra.
The city's iconic Europa Hotel is reported to have suffered 36 bomb attacks during 'the troubles'.
Belfast newest premier hotel, the Grand Central Hotel was opened in 2018 with President Biden visiting in 2023.

Interesting City Facts 71 - 80

Belfast is known for its friendly and welcoming people and atmosphere.
Belfast has a thriving tech industry, with companies such as Allstate, Citi, and Deloitte.
The Ulster Transport Museum moved just outside of Belfast to Cultra beside the Ulster Folk Museum.
Each year the city celebrates its history by holding a Maritime Festival, usually in May.
The annual Belfast International Arts Festival showcases the best in theatre, dance, music, and visual arts.
The annual Belfast Mela celebrates diversity and multiculturalism from around the world through music & food.
The EastSide Arts Festival provides a platform for local artists, entertainers, and performers.
Belfast's St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the largest in the UK and Ireland, featuring colorful floats & music.
The Crumlin Road Gaol or Jail, dates back to 1845 and is now a modern tourist attraction and facility.
In 1961 the Jail carried out the final death penalty sentence in Belfast, hanging Robert Andrew McGladdery.

Interesting City Facts 81 - 90

The Crumlin Road Courthouse, built in 1850 now sits in ruins waiting re-development.
Belfast's Obel Tower is the tallest building in Ireland, standing at 85m with 27 floors.
Belfast is an international city, with its own US Consulate General & Consulate General of China.
The city's main shopping centre's include the Victoria Square shopping center & Castlecourt.
Belfast has its own Michelin-starred restaurants like Ox and The Muddlers Club showcasing local cuisine.
You can dine in a Victorian office cubicle inside the Titanic Hotel, Titanic Quarter.
Sir James Murray invented the famous Milk of Magnesia in Belfast.
Sir Kenneth Branagh won an Oscar for his screenplay on 'Belfast'.
One of the maritime symbols of Belfast is a seahorse, which is on it coat of arms.
Belfast will never see iconic department stores such as Robinson & Cleavers or Anderson & McAuleys again.

Interesting City Facts 91 - 100

Final Ten Facts - Which Are Unusual
Although few residents know it, Belfast is a Sister City of Boston, Nashville & Shenyang in China.
Lord Edward Carson the Founder of Northern Ireland is buried in the south aisle of St Annes Cathedral.
The River Lagan is home to a variety of wildlife, including otters, kingfishers and herons.
Belfast Lough is also known to have seals, which sometimes can be seen out of the water near Jordanstown.
The Albert Clock tower is sinking and is reported to be leaning by four feet.
The famous Harland and Wolff cranes are called Samson and Goliath, but Goliath is actually the smaller one.
The smallest house in Belfast is about 3 metres across and can be found on Great Victoria Street.
The Belfast strong sense of humour has seen it through some very dark days.
As you approaching Belfast from the Eastside coming towards Dundonald the sign welcomes you to Lisburn.
We all know 4 quarters make a whole, well modern day Belfast has seven quarters!

Even More Interesting City Facts

Belfast has the world's largest dry dock.
Beneath the streets of Belfast runs a hidden waterway known as the Blackstaff River.
Belfast is one of the friendliest cities on the planet & we hope to see you here soon!