Belfast's most prominent timepiece was built from 1865-1870 in memory of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who died in 1862. The 43m-high landmark is famous as Belfast's very own leaning tower. Like many structures in the city, it was built on reclaimed land on the Rive [...]

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A magnificent sight, especially when viewed from Royal Avenue, this imposing Portland stone and copper-domed building was completed in 1906 as a symbol of Belfast's new city status.

Queen Victoria stands at the front, and the grounds are dotted with many more statues and monuments, details of which can be found on a large map at the gates.

In 1995 the building provided a dramatic backdrop when President Clinton switched on the city's Christmas lights.

As part of a major renovation programme, the building is temporarily closed to the public. It will re-open in late 2009.

The grounds remain open as normal and will host the ever-popular Continental Market from 25-28 May when shoppers can indulge in lovely grub and drinkies from around the world. [...]

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Nestled along Commercial Court's cobbled entry is the Duke of York (pictured above) - one of Belfast's oldest and most fascinating pubs.

As the name suggests, the area was once Belfast's commercial heart, and several bronze panels pay homage to the pottery, whiskey merchants and old iron foundry that once occupied its narrow streets.

Italian Immigrants who ran the cock-fighting pit at the end of the entry would probably have stopped by for a pint, and the local rag and bone man of the 1960's certainly did..... in fact his horse once even tried to get inside having waited so long outside!

Over the years, newspapers have also made their home here and, to this day, the area is regarded as Belfast's Fleet Street.

The Belfast Telegraph, Irish News and Sunday World are still based close by, making the Duke of York a regular watering hole for lawyers, judges, politicians, trade unionists and journalists. 

The history of the area is reflected in the artefacts which bedeck the walls of 'The Duke' - items from the printing industry vie for space with sporting programmes and bar memorabilia in the Public Bar, while the Glory Hole features William Butler Yeats' Poem He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven in mosaic utilising carved wooden letters originally intended for the lids of coffins.

The bar boasts an extensive range of Specialist Irish Whiskeys and the food menu offers fantastically priced snacks and home-made lunches.

Friday and Saturday nights feature live local bands in the Glory Hole bar and an Indie Club in the upstairs Lounge. On Thursday nights guest players from all over Ireland congregate for a traditional Irish music session - always a hit with music-savvy visitors.

Bar wise, The Duke of York is as real as it gets.
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The concrete walkway spanning the city's river from the docks to the Odyssey Complex is more than a mere footbridge. Built in 1994, the Lagan Weir pioneered riverside rejuvenation by controlling water levels and helping to clean up the dirty old river. The Lookout, at the docks side of the [...]

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This imposing, purpose-built structure is inextricably linked with the political history of Northern Ireland but received international attention when sports stars, VIPs and thousands of fans gathered for the funeral of George Best on 3 December 2005.

Made of Portland stone mounted on Mourne granite, Stormont was built on land acquired in 1921 for NI's new seat of Parliament, and opened by Edward, Prince of Wales in 1932.

Now home to the restored NI Assembly, the building remains a potent symbol of the precarious political process, not least borne out by the thwarted attack by loyalist Michael Stone on the 24 November 2006.

The building stands at the top of the mile-long Prince of Wales Avenue behind a statue of Lord Edward Carson (Unionist MP regarded as the founding father of the NI State) and is topped by the figure Britannia. The tomb of Lord Craigavon - NI's first Prime Minister - and his wife is on the building's east side.

Nearby is Reconciliation, a small water sculpture depicting a couple embracing across a divide. Copies of this symbol of peace are also in Coventry, Hiroshima, Jerusalem and Berlin.

As tours are only available by prior arrangement with an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly), only good timing and a stroke of luck will allow you access to the main hall without prior invitation. There's a small giftshop inside where you can buy postcards, books and NI Assembly goodies. [...]

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On the corner of the Belfast Telegraph building, a small section of pockmarked stone provides a tangible reminder of the 1941 Belfast Blitz. Over 100 German Luftwaffe planes bombarded the unprepared city on April 15, killing 900 people and injuring a further 2,500. A lone plaque on t [...]

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Belfast's grumpiest son, blues singer Van Morrison, once lived in a two-up, two-down terrace in the east of the city. So taken was he by his childhood haunt, that he immortalised it in the song On Hyndford Street. Cyprus Avenue is just a short stroll away. Born George Ivan Mo [...]

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