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Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK - August 13, 2017 - 01.jpg
The Belfast City Hall in August 2017
General information
Architectural style Baroque Revival
Classification
Listed Building – Grade A
Designated: 27 November 1975
Reference #: HB 26/50/001
Location Donegall Square
Town or city Belfast
Country Northern Ireland
Coordinates 54°35′47″N 5°55′48″W / 54.59639°N 5.93000°W / 54.59639; -5.93000
Current tenants Belfast City Council
Construction started 1898
Completed 1906
Renovated 2009
Cost Approx £360,000
Client Belfast Corporation
Height Roof – 174 feet (53 m)
Design and construction
Architect Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas
Quantity surveyor WH Stephens
Main contractor H&J Martin

Belfast City Hall is a very important building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the main building for the Belfast City Council, where decisions about the city are made. You can find it in Donegall Square, right in the heart of Belfast.

The City Hall faces north and helps separate the shopping and business parts of the city centre. It is also a "Grade A listed building," which means it's a very special historical building.

History of Belfast City Hall

From Linen Exchange to City Status

Linen Hall Library, 1888
The White Linen Hall, or the Linen Hall Library as it was in 1888. This building was later replaced by the City Hall.

Before Belfast City Hall was built, a place called the White Linen Hall stood on this spot. It was a very important centre for trading Irish linen around the world. The street behind the City Hall, Linen Hall Street, is named after it.

Plans for a new City Hall started in 1888. This was when Queen Victoria gave Belfast "city status." This special title showed how much Belfast had grown. The city was famous for its busy industries. These included linen, rope-making, shipbuilding, and engineering.

At one point, Belfast even had more people living there than Dublin. The city used money from its gas industry to pay for the new City Hall.

Building and Design

The building was designed by Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas. He used a style called Baroque Revival. It was built using Portland Stone and cost about £369,000. The City Hall officially opened its doors on 1 August 1906. Local companies like H&J Martin helped with the building work.

Did you know that the City Hall in Durban, South Africa, looks almost exactly like Belfast's? It was built in 1910 and was inspired by the Belfast design. The Port of Liverpool Building in England also looks very similar.

Important Events and Changes

On 1 August 2006, Belfast City Hall celebrated its 100th birthday. There was a special exhibition and a family picnic day.

In 2012, the City Council made a decision about the Union Flag. Before this, the flag flew every day since 1906. The Council decided it would only fly on certain special days. This decision caused some protests in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland.

Exterior of Belfast City Hall

What the Outside Looks Like

City Hall in summer
The grounds of City Hall, with the dome of Victoria Square Shopping Centre and the Belfast Wheel in the background.

The City Hall has tall towers at each of its four corners. In the middle, there is a large green copper dome. This dome is about 173 feet (53 metres) high.

Look closely at the front of the building. You will see a beautiful sculpture above the main entrance. This sculpture was made by F. W. Pomeroy. Parts of this sculpture can also be seen on some banknotes from the Northern Bank.

Inside Belfast City Hall

Exploring the Interior

The inside of Belfast City Hall is just as impressive as the outside. Some important areas include:

  • The Porte-Cochère and Grand Entrance, which is the main entry point.
  • The Grand Staircase, a large and fancy staircase.
  • The Reception Room, where guests are welcomed.
  • The Banqueting Hall, a big room used for special dinners and events.

During World War II, in May 1941, the roof above the Banqueting Hall was damaged. This happened during the Belfast blitz (bombing raids). It had to be rebuilt after the war.

Materials and Art

You will see a lot of beautiful marble inside the building. Different types of marble, like Carrara, Pavonazzo, and Brescia, were used.

There are also many stunning stained glass windows. These windows show:

  • Dome, Belfast City Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1747624

    City Hall Dome

  • First floor, Belfast City Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1747618

    First floor Rotunda

  • Sculpture, Belfast City Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1747516

    Sculpture of the Earl of Belfast

  • Staircase, Belfast City Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1747614

    Central staircase

  • Main Entrance, Belfast City Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1747535

    Main entrance

Grounds and Public Memorials

Statues and Monuments

Remembrance Belfast
The Garden of Remembrance and The Cenotaph in Belfast.

The grounds around Belfast City Hall are like an outdoor museum. They have many statues and memorials.

  • A statue of Edward Harland, who founded the Harland and Wolff shipyard, was put up in 1903.
  • A statue of Queen Victoria was also unveiled in 1903 by King Edward VII.
  • The Titanic Memorial was added in 1920. It remembers those who lost their lives on the famous ship.

War Memorials and Other Tributes

The main war memorial for Northern Ireland is also here. It is called the Garden of Remembrance and Cenotaph. It was unveiled in 1929.

There is also a granite column from 1943. It honours the American Expeditionary Force. Many American soldiers were based in Belfast before D-Day in World War II.

In 1999, a memorial to Leading Seaman James Magennis was placed here. He was a brave sailor who won the Victoria Cross.

Sports and Fun

In 2006, a plan was approved to build a statue of the famous Belfast footballer George Best. He was a very talented player. The statue is still being planned.

For a few years, a large Ferris wheel stood in the grounds. It was 60 metres (200 feet) tall. Passengers could enjoy amazing views of the city from its capsules. The wheel was open from 2007 to 2010.

In 2008, the Imjin River Memorial was moved to the City Hall grounds. This memorial remembers Irish soldiers who fought in the Korean War.

  • Belfast City Hall - Under Construction

    Under construction

  • Titanic Memorial, Belfast, Northern Ireland

    Belfast's - Titanic Memorial

  • Belfast City Hall 2007

    Front of the building

  • Queen Victoria Belfast 2

    Monument to Queen Victoria

  • Frederick Temple Belfast

    Lord Dufferin monument

  • Edward James Harland Belfast

    Statue of Edward James Harland, founder of Harland and Wolff

  • Belfast city hall

    Memorial to James Magennis VC (2004)

  • Belfast City Hall 2010

    View showing Belfast City Hall with the Belfast Wheel to the side, Late March 2010

  • James Horner Haslett Belfast

    Statue of James Horner Haslett, Mayor of Belfast (1887–88)

  • Sir Daniel Dixon

    Statue of Sir Daniel Dixon, first Lord Mayor of Belfast (1892–93, 1901-04 & 1905-07)

  • William James Pirrie Belfast

    Statue of William James Pirrie, Lord Mayor of Belfast (1896–98)

  • Robert James McMordie Belfast

    Statue of Robert James McMordie, Lord Mayor of Belfast (1910–14)

  • Belfast City Hall - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK - August 13, 2017

    At twilight

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ayuntamiento de Belfast para niños

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