Belfast: Five Must See Sites

Earning the nickname Linenopolis, Belfast is the center of Ireland's linen industry, as well as tobacco production, rope-making and shipbuilding. Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland with a population of more than 640,000 people in the larger urban zone. Millions of people take a Belfast vacation each year to visit the numerous Belfast tourist attractions, such as castles, museums, and shipyards. Here are the top five tourist attractions not to miss in Belfast.

Belfast Castle

For an unobstructed view of the city and many Belfast tourist attractions, tourist can visit the Belfast castle located on the hills of Cavehill Country Park. This castle was originally built in the late 12^th century in the Belfast city centre and was home to Sir Arthur Chichester. When the castle was burnt down in 1708, the structure was rebuilt at its currently location from 1862-1870. Sight-seeing in Belfast does not get much better than the view you get overlooking the city from 400 feet above sea level at this historic castle. The castle is also home to an antiques shop, restaurant, and visitor's center.

Titanic's Dock and Pump-House

Many people may not know that Belfast was the birthplace for the Titanic. The dock and pump-house is located on Queen's Island in Belfast and is comprised of a Visitor Center, Café, and Interpretative Center. This attraction is the only publicly accessible intact piece of the Titanic's history. Of all the attractions in Ireland, this dock and pump-house has great historical significance and showcases the world-renowned technology Harland & Wolff used to build the Titanic. While on a Belfast vacation, this site is a must-see.

Ulster Museum

This newly renovated museum is home to more than 8,000 square meters of display space open to the public. It is the largest museum in Northern Ireland and part of the National Museums of Northern Ireland. Visitors can continue their sight-seeing in Belfast by viewing the various collections of fine art, applied art, archaeology, and ethnography. As one of the largest museum attractions in Ireland, the museum also houses artifacts from the Spanish Armada as well as local historical artifacts.

Belfast Botanic Gardens

Located in southern Belfast, this botanic garden is situated on 28 acres with the Ulster Museum located at the main entrance. The garden has been in operation since 1828 when it was the private Royal Belfast Botanical Gardens. It joined other attractions in Ireland by opening to the public in 1895. There are few other Belfast tourist attractions that hold as much beauty as the Belfast Botanic Gardens.

St. Anne's Cathedral

Rounding out a Belfast vacation, tourists can take a trip to St. Anne's Cathedral, also known as Belfast Cathedral. This cathedral is located on Donegall Street and is part of the Church of Ireland. Tourists can enhance their experience of sight-seeing in Belfast by taking in the numerous mosaics in St. Anne's Cathedral. These mosaics were created in the 1920's with one consisting of more than 150,000 pieces.