https://maritime-mile.com/titanic-quarter/
On the Titanic side of Belfast Harbour, the Abercorn Basin and Hamilton Graving Dock were constructed in the 1860s following redevelopment of the River Lagan and Harbour area. Much of the area, originally called Queens Island, became the site of the Harland and Wolff shipyard which was one of the world’s largest shipyards, employing 30,000 workers. As the shipbuilding industry changed in Belfast, the area is now the biggest waterfront redevelopment site in Europe with thousands of visitors, workers and residents.
Much of the key heritage has been retained, with the H&W Drawing Offices repurposed into the stunning Titanic Hotel Belfast, and the iconic Titanic Belfast built on the very slipways where RMS Titanic was built and launched. The Harland and Wolff cranes, icons of Belfast’s skyline in the background, are still in use today as H&W now undertake ship repair and offshore and maritime engineering. To really get a sense of the past, you can go on board the SS Nomadic, RMS Titanic’s little sister, now included in the Titanic Belfast visitor experience.
The Public Records Office for Northern Ireland is located in Titanic Quarter, along with Belfast Metropolitan College where over 2,000 students study a range of courses from science and technology to media and tourism.
Titanic Quarter has also provided the perfect backdrop for many popular TV series and movies. If you are fans of Line of Duty some of the open spaces on both sides of the river may seem familiar. The magnificent Titanic Hotel, formerly H&W Drawing Offices, has featured on both the big and small screens including Lost City of Z starring Robert Pattinson and Charlie Hunnam. The Drawing Offices once hosted Jackie Onassis and Queen Elizabeth II visited the H&W shipyard several times for ship launches, so there’s a long history of famous visitors to the area! Titanic Studios, located at the end of the Titanic slipway, is one of Europe’s largest filming studios where City of Ember, Your Highness and all eight series of HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones were filmed. Follow the Glass of Thrones stained-glass window trail to relive many of the most memorable scenes and characters from the show.
Get to know the Mile from the local neighbourhood experts – Read former H&W employee Rodney’s story.
