Belfast: An Introduction

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Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland which forms part of the United Kingdom. In terms of the island of Ireland, Belfast is the 2nd largest city after Dublin with a population 580,000 in the Greater Belfast area. Belfast is situated on Belfast Lough which is a natural inlet which is ideal for shipping, and formed a critical part of the great history of ship building in Belfast.

The area that is now Belfast has been occupied since the Bronze Age and today remains of Iron Age hill forts can still be seen around the city. It wasn’t until the 17th Century that the city blossomed as an economic centre. Northern Ireland was created in 1921 and since then Belfast has been the capital. Unfortunately Belfast has witnessed much of the troubles that have dogged Northern Ireland over the last 30 years.

Belfast is a unique city which is steeped in history. The architecture is predominantly Victoria and Edwardian. City Hall is the most famous building because of it placement in the city centre and at Christmas an ice skating rink is set up to amuse those brave enough to take on the challenge.

The Harland and Wolff cranes of Samson and Goliath are visible from far away in Belfast. Harland and Wolff was the most famous ship building company in Belfast, and builders of the Titanic and the Lusitania. The company only employed protestant workers and is home to the largest dry dock in the world.

While Thrifty Car Rental does not provide a full car rental service in Northern Ireland, we do offer an additional insurance option for Northern Ireland and a drop off location at Belfast International Airport. For more information please see our information page about Northern Ireland.