Belfast City Hall

Check out Belfast’s gorgeous City Hall. A blast of Italian marble hits you the moment you enter the building, which has a permanent visitor exhibition filling 16 rooms and featuring Belfast’s past to present. The City Hall opened in 1906. A collection of stained glass windows is located throughout the building, marking historic events or celebrating the contribution to the city by various individuals and organizations. The elephants displayed at City Hall are part of a herd of uniquely decorated sculptures positioned around Belfast this summer. At the end of the city-wide exhibit the elephants will be auctioned to raise funds for Northern Ireland Hospice.

Belfast City Hall is designed in the Baroque Revival style

·         Queen Victoria has the position of honor outside City Hall

The interior is clad in Italian marble

Sections of the many stained glass windows mark historic events or celebrate the contribution to the city by various individuals and organizations

The 26-year-old Earl of Belfast died of consumption in 1870. He is lamented by his mother in this Patrick MacDowell sculpture, considered one of the finest pieces of Victorian sculpture in Ireland. It’s regarded as MacDowelll’s masterpiece, and is just inside the City Hall entrance

“Rise” by Wolfgang Buttress is Northern Ireland’s largest public artwork. Here in small form, the sculpture’s two globes symbolize the rising of the sun and new hope for Belfast’s future. We glimpsed the original as we drove into the city, where it graces a roundabout. The original, cast in white steel, measures 121’x98’

A herd of uniquely decorated sculptures were placed around the city in preparation for an auction to benefit the Northern Ireland Hospice. These baby elephants were on display in the lobby of City Hall

Belfast coat of arms