Belfast, not just any city
Belfast, the vibrant capital of Northern Ireland, with its history and culture, is a city that always deeply impresses me. Twelve years ago, when I lived in Derry for a while, I visited Belfast for the first time, and since then, I have been visiting the city again and again whenever I am traveling in Northern Ireland. Therefore, I would like to share my experiences and tips with you.
Mich beeindrucken immer wieder die Murals in den Stadtteilen Falls Road und Shankill Road. Sie erzählen auf eindrucksvolle Weise von den Unruhen der Vergangenheit, der Geschichte des Nordirlandkonflikts und vermitteln einen authentischen Eindruck vom Leben während der Troubles. Auch die einst als temporäre Lösung in Zeiten des Konflikts errichteten “Peace Walls”, die aber immer noch als Schutzbarrieren zwischen den verfeindeten Gemeinschaften dienen und die Gewalt minimieren, sind sehr beeindruckend. Obwohl sie tiefe soziale Auswirkungen auf das tägliche Leben, die Identität der Bewohner sowie das Zusammenleben in Belfast haben. Viele befürchten allerdings bei der Diskussion über den Abbau der “Peace Walls” das Wiederaufleben alter Konflikte. Das Thema ist also sehr komplex.
““Falls Road - Political Murals””
“Peace Walls”
Aine einzigartige Möglichkeit, die Geschichte hautnah zu erfahren (kleines Wortspiel) ist eine “Black Taxi Tour”! Diese Touren führen euch durch die verschiedenen Viertel und ihr könnt aus erster Hand von den Taxifahrern viele Geschichten über diese Zeit erfahren. Auch die politischen Führungen kann ich nur empfehlen, wenn man mehr über die “Troubles” und die Geschichte des Nordirlandkonflikts erfahren möchte. Die sachkundigen Guides können euch viel über die politische Geschichte Belfasts erzählen.
“Milltown Cemetery West-Belfast”
“Bobby Sands Mural”
Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Bobby Sands
Enother well-known landmark of the city's older history is the Titanic Belfast Museum. It is located on the site of the former shipyard Harland and Wolff, where the famous Titanic was built. The interactive exhibitions take you on a journey through the history of the Titanic, from its construction to its tragic sinking.
“Titanic Belfast Museum”
“Titanic and Olympic Slipways”
Some interesting facts about the construction of the Titanic
Here are some interesting facts about the construction of the Titanic in Belfast:
The Titanic was built between 1909 and 1912 at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, along with her sister ship Olympic.
The construction took a total of 26 months, from the laying of the keel to the launch. The keel was laid on March 31, 1909, just 3 months after that of the Olympic.
The Titanic received the shipyard number 401. She was built on slipway No. 3 under a 69-meter-high gantry crane, which was the largest in the world at that time.
Harland & Wolff employed 14,000 workers, and at the peak of construction, even 15,000. About 3,000 of them, or 20% of the workforce, were directly involved in the construction of the Titanic.
Millions of rivets made of iron and steel were used for the hull. A typical riveting crew of 4 men could set 200 rivets per day in good weather.
During construction, there were 8 fatal accidents and 246 documented injuries among the workers.
The construction costs amounted to $7.5 million, which, adjusted for inflation, is approximately $166 million (120 million pounds) today. Interestingly, this is less than the cost of the 1997 Titanic film, which was $200 million.
On May 31, 1911, the Titanic was launched in Belfast and subsequently completed at the fitting-out quay before embarking on her fateful maiden voyage.
Das Titanic-Belfast-Museum erinnert heute an den Bau des berühmten Schiffes in der Stadt. Es steht am Kopf der historischen Hellingen, auf denen die Titanic gebaut wurde. Außerhalb des Museums kann man die “Titanic Slipways” begehen und erkunden und so und einen Eindruck von der Größe des Schiffes bekommen.
``Belfast Harbour, Titanic Museum``
In the next blog post, I will take you to the Botanic Gardens of Belfast and Cave Hill. Additionally, Belfast is an ideal starting point for excursions in the surrounding area, and there are some noteworthy markets in Belfast. And no visit to Belfast would be complete without an evening in one of the traditional pubs.
For a detailed post about Belfast, you can find it here: BELFAST FROM CONFLICT TO CULTURAL METROPOLIS
