Karl WP Beyer Ireland, the "Green Island", has been divided since 1920. The Republic of Ireland with the capital Dublin is an independent state belonging to the EU. Northern Ireland with the capital Belfast is part of the United Kingdom.
Representative buildings in the center of Belfast
Northern Ireland - a formerly contested region
Between 1969 and the late 1970s, Catholic and Protestant militias fought bitterly in the northeast of the island. The Northern Ireland conflict split Belfast and many people lost their lives. Only the Good Friday Agreement concluded in 1998 ended this unbearable situation. If the discussion turns to the unrest at the time, officials today speak soothingly of "troubles".
Belfast - yesterday and today
Belfast is where the Lagan River meets the sea. Almost 342.000 of Northern Ireland's 1,9 million people live in the cosmopolitan and safe city. With its population, Belfast ranks at the level of major German cities such as Bielefeld or Wuppertal.
Belfast - John Bell House
Belfast - Commercial buildings next to City Hall
For hundreds of years, Belfast gained recognition and economic importance for the manufacture of linen fabrics. In addition to linen weaving, shipyards, rope manufacturers, engineering and the tobacco and textile industries prospered. The wealth of the city at that time is still evident today in the many splendid buildings in the city center.
Politics, Culture and Church
Belfast has traditionally been an administrative center. The Government and Parliament of Northern Ireland operate from Belfast. Since 1810, the city has had Queen's University Belfast, a college with around 25.000 students. The bishops of the Catholic and Anglican Churches have their offices in Belfast.
Belfast - St Anne's Cathedral - nave
Belfast and RMS Titanic
The fate of the liner RMS Titanic is linked to the image of the city. The luxury ship was built at the traditional Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff. It left Belfast on its maiden voyage. In the course of this, the Titanic collided with an iceberg on the North Atlantic route and sank within a short time. 1.514 people lost their lives in the disaster. A spectacular exhibition and conference center in Belfast has been a reminder of the fateful events in the North Atlantic since 2012.
Belfast - Titanic Museum
Belfast for cruise ship guests
In 2019 the city opened a new cruise terminal and deepened the harbor basin. From then on, Belfast will be able to handle cruise ships with a length of 300 meters and a maximum of 5.700 passengers, for example the MSC Meraviglia. In 2019 as a whole, 146 cruise ships with around 280.000 passengers called at the port. We present our top attractions in the Northern Irish capital at: Belfast attractions.
