Belfast Castle

Belfast, United Kingdom

Belfast Castle is set on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park, providing views over the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough. The original castle, built in the late 12th century by the Normans, was located in the town itself, flanked by the modern day High Street, Castle Place and Donegall Place in what is now Belfast city centre. This was the home of The 1st Baron Chichester (better known as Sir Arthur Chichester), but was burned down in 1708, leaving only street names to mark the site. Rather than rebuild on the original site, the Chichesters decided to build a new residence in the city's suburbs, today's Belfast Castle emerging as a result. The building that stands today was built between 1811 and 1870 by the 3rd Marquess of Donegall. It was designed in the Scottish baronial style by Charles Lanyon and his son, of the architectural firm Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon. After Lord Donegall's death and the family's financial demise, the 8th Earl of Shaftesbury completed the house.

It was his son, the 9th Earl of Shaftesbury, who presented the castle to the City of Belfast in 1934. In 1978, the Belfast City Council began a major refurbishment over a period of ten years at a cost of over two million pounds. The architect was the Hewitt and Haslam Partnership. The building officially re-opened to the public in 1988.

The castle boasts an antiques shop, a restaurant and visitors centre and it is a popular venue for conferences, private dining and wedding receptions.

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Details

Founded: 1811-1870
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

SMck (2 months ago)
Belfast Castle is a truly stunning place to visit. The building itself is absolutely beautiful, with its elegant architecture and rich history making it a standout landmark. The gardens are equally impressive, meticulously maintained and full of vibrant flowers, they are definitely worth exploring. Whether you’re there for a peaceful stroll or simply to admire the scenery, the combination of the castle and its gorgeous surroundings makes for a perfect day out. Highly recommend a visit!
Nicholas Said (2 months ago)
We visited one evening but weren't able to enter as it was closed for a private event. However, we showed up the next morning and were delighted to explore the castle and its garden. The castle is free to visit and offers gorgeous views of Belfast's skyline on a clear day. We were only able to enter a few rooms and the ballroom on the ground floor in the castle. Keep an eye out for the various cat sculptures around the garden! There is also free parking on the premises. It would be great if updates could be posted on their website to notify the public when the castle is closed for private events.
Sylvain Jamais (3 months ago)
Lovely place, nice garden and café. Didn't try the restaurant. The bits of the building we could freely visit made me curious to see the rest it. Maybe visitors would be willing to pay a little for this. I know I would.
meltem kogelbauer (4 months ago)
It's a lovely castle to visit. It's for free. We couldn't do much because it was raining but in a nice weather, sitting in the gardens would be nice. There seems to be some walking trails around but we couldn't explore due to rain.
Sue Cochrane (6 months ago)
Well, what a place! A beautiful castle (aka Cat Castle) surrounded by fabulous countryside. We visited yesterday and enjoyed strolling around the carefully tended gardens bathed in sunshine. Apparently there are 9 cats in different mediums, from topiary to mosaics. I only spotted 3. There's not much to see in the castle but the views from the magnificent windows are fabulous. We lunched in the Cellar Restaurant which was very pleasant. The service was leisurely but we weren't in a hurry so it didn't matter. The staff were delightful and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them. All in all, a purrrfect day out ?
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