Belfast Castle
| Belfast Castle | ||
|---|---|---|
 Belfast Castle (August 2011) |
||
| Data | ||
| place | Cavehill , Belfast | |
| architect | Charles Lanyon | |
| Client |
George Chester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 8th Earl of Shaftesbury |
|
| Architectural style | Scottish Baronial | |
| Construction year | 1811-70 | |
| height | 120 m | |
| Coordinates | 54 ° 38 '34.1 " N , 5 ° 56' 31.7" W | |
|
||
Belfast Castle ( Irish Caisleán Bhéal Feirste ) is a castle in Belfast . It is located at the foot of the Cavehill , about 6.5 kilometers from the city center. It is considered a historic B + grade building.
history
The first building known as Belfast Castle was built by the Normans in the 12th century and was located in the city center, not far from the High Street and Castle Place. In 1611 Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester had a stone and wood building built in place of the old castle. However, this burned down completely in 1708. However, it was decided not to rebuild the castle again in the city center, but a little outside the city. Hereby instructed George Chester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall the architectural firm Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon by Charles Lanyon . Construction began in 1811. Over the years, however, the construction costs rose well over the estimated £ 11 million Chester estimated, so that he was forced to accept financial support from his son-in-law, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 8th Earl of Shaftesbury . The castle was then completed in 1870 and passed into the possession of the Earl of Shaftesbury in 1884. His son, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury donated the building to the city in 1934, which used it for major events. Starting in 1978, the castle underwent a major renovation for 10 million pounds.
Todays use
After completion of the renovation work, the castle was opened to the public on November 11, 1988 after a construction period of more than ten years. On the second floor there is a visitor center with an exhibition on the castle itself, the castle park and Cave Hill. One of the former bedrooms is decorated in the style of the 1920s and houses a collection of wedding pictures dating from 1940 to the present day. The rooms are also available for weddings.
