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Historic places in Belfast

7 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Belfast.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Historic places in Belfast

  1. See

    Irish Republican History Museum

    Eileen Hickey Museum

    Museum in a former mill depicting the history of Republicanism in Belfast. Eileen Hickey was a Provisional IRA organiser within Armagh prison and amassed a great collection of artifacts and memorabilia relating to her side of the conflict. This is the half-history where 1200 Catholic civilians died in Belfast during the Troubles. You have to cross the city to the Orange Heritage Centre for the half-history where 600 Protestant civilians died - and both are correct.

    Tue-Sat 10AM-2PMDonation

  2. Buy

    Smithfield Market

    Small mall north of Castle Court with some 30 independent retailers.

    Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM

  3. See

    Ulster Museum

    Excellent comprehensive museum, covering natural history, archaeology, history including the Irish conflicts, textile and fashions, and a large collection of art. The original neoclassical building was extended in the 1970s in a modern Brutalist style. It's part of the National Museums of Northern Ireland, who also run the Transport and Folk museums at Holywood, and the Ulster American Park at Omagh.

    Tue-Sun 10AM-5PMFree

  4. See Not mapped

    Belfast Castle

    Baronial pile built on Cave Hill for the Shaftesbury family in the 1860s. It's nowadays an event space for weddings and the like, plus a posh cafe, assistance dogs only. You might be able to peek in at some of the grand rooms, but mostly you come for the view over the city.

    Daily 9AM-6PMFree

  5. See Not mapped

    Saint Anne's Cathedral

    This Church of Ireland (Anglican) cathedral was built in Romanesque style around the previous parish church and opened in 1904. It's been added to and reconstructed in stages ever since, most recently in 2007 by the addition of the 130-foot, slender metal spire, floodlit at night. It couldn't have a traditional sturdy tower or spire as the soft clay foundations wouldn't support that. There are regular services.

    Mon-Sat 10:30AM-4PM, Sat Sun 12:30-3PMAdult £5, child free

  6. See Not mapped

    Samson and Goliath

    These are two massive gantry cranes near the entrance to the Titanic Quarter. Goliath is the first you encounter, built in 1969 and 96 m (315 ft) tall; Samson built in 1974 is 106 m (348 ft) tall. They stand over the Harland & Wolff dry dock and each has a load capacity of 840 tonnes. They're painted yellow and have become an iconic part of the Belfast sky-line. They've been kept in working order even though large-scale shipbuilding and associated heavy lifting has ended on site, but there are no tours up into their structure. Harland & Wolff went bust in 2019 and are now owned by Navantia. Both cranes are scheduled as Historic Monuments.

    24 hours

  7. See Not mapped

    Stormont Parliament Buildings

    These massive buildings, built in neo-Georgian style in 1926, are the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Tours are available W-F noon and 2PM, and last 45 minutes, free but book online in advance. The buildings stand on the wooded Stormont Estate, you approach along the long avenue from Newtownards Road and Massey Ave. There's a nearby cluster of modern government office buildings, plus the 19th-century baronial Stormont Castle, only open on special occasions.

    Mon-Fri 9AM-4PM

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Belfast (CC BY-SA 4.0).