Belfast City Hall

Belfast City Hall

Belfast City Hall - John Miskelly Photography - cc

Visiter Belfast City Hall.

Belfast City Hall is a major landmark in the city of Belfast. It serves as the town hall for the city of and boasts a history and architecture as fascinating as it is inescapable. Located in Donegal Square, it’s one of Belfast’s must-see landmarks, separating the commercial districts from the city’s central business district!

History of City Hall

A monument commissioned by Queen Victoria

The City Hall was built in 1898, at the behest of Queen Victoria, who wished to reward the city for its dynamic string production and engineering boom. City Hall was designed by architect Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas and christened under his strict supervision. It’s worth pointing out that the construction site was extremely extensive, costing in excess of £369,000 to build.

The latter was finally completed in 1906, when the first civil servants and other administrative staff took possession of the new town hall’s offices.

Visit Belfast City Hall

Magisterial Victorian and Neo-Baroque architecture

Belfast city hall - © William

Belfast city hall – © William

City Hall is downright impossible to miss: its imposing, particularly busy architecture makes it an eye-catching, curiosity-inducing monument! Victorian and neo-baroque in style, City Hall covers more than a hectare and a half in Belfast city center!

Structurally, City Hall features an enclosed courtyard, towers at each corner, and a copper-coated central dome that gives the building its distinctive green hue. The walls are made of Portland stone. The main pediment is said to have been sculpted by FW Pomeroy, and has all the neo-Baroque features you’d expect: the carvings are extremely fine, although it can be criticized for being too busy.

The monument also boasts magnificent tree-lined gardens, a delight for office workers and students alike, who tend to picnic on the City Hall lawn in summer.

Several statues line the park, including one of Queen Victoria, as well as a statue of Thane, a tribute to the sinking of the Titanic, a liner built in Belfast itself.


Belfast City Hall
Practical information

Adresse Adresse :
Donegall Square N, Belfast, (County Antrim) - Northern Ireland

Coordonnées GPSGPS :
54.596723, -5.930082

Durée de la visite Tour duration :
45 minutes
TarifsRates :
  • free of charge
Horaires d'ouvertureOpening hours :
  • Monday to Friday 08:30 to 17:00
  • Saturday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Belfast City Hall on a map



Planning a trip? Download our free guide!

Free Ebook

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our free ebook!

Discover the essentials of the country, its culture, history and must-see sights!

So much more to discover...