It looks like a jewelry box but it's actually the Jaffe Memorial Fountain. Striking and brightly…read morecolorful it was originally erected in 1874 by Sir Otto Jaffe to honor his father, Daniel Jaffe. It was initially placed in Victoria Square but was later moved to the Botanic Gardens, where it remained until 2008 It is intricate and elegant, made of Portland stone with each of the smaller columns featuring a female figure that represents each of the four seasons. It stands at the Victoria Street entrance to the Victoria Square shopping center. The original yellow and white were apparently selected to reflect the aesthetic preferences of the Victorian era, as these were popular colors to symbolize purity and light and optimism. It is indeed a fountain but in September it was dry. I'm not sure if it is ever filled with water. [Review 1883 of 2024 - 866 in United Kingdom - 22905 overall]

I bet you've walked past this wee gem hundreds of times but never given it a second look, I'm right…read morearen't I? Well now it's time to be enlightened. This is the Jaffa Fountain, not named after everyone's favourite cake/biscuit but actually named after Belfast's first Lord Mayor Otto Jaffa. The fountain itself was actually built in 1879 and it was erected in its current location, but here's the strange part. As industrial and commercial Belfast grew it was moved out to Botanic Gardens - mature students might recognise it from those days. Once Victoria Square was commissioned the decision was made to bring the old fellow back to its rightful place. I for one am glad they did as I think it provides a welcome nod to Belfast's past in the centre of its current commercial renaissance.

A remarkable sculpture at Holywood Arches that depicts the author CS Lewis as he opens the door of…read morethe wardrobe where the journey to Narnia begins in the well loved series of children's books, of which the first is The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. CS Lewis grew up in nearby Ballyhackamore and some of the landscapes described in the Narnia books are identifiable with north Co Down nearby. Ross Wilson was commissioned to produce the sculpture in 1998, the centenary of Lewis's birth. The Searcher stands just outside the library, a surprising sight when you first see it, especially in a rather unassuming part of the city. As a landmark I suspect is not as well known as it might be.

The people of East Belfast are always proud to refer to the likes of George Best and Van Morrison…read moreas having come from the area, and rightly so. Oooh, story time... [The podiatrist I worked for has dealt with Van Morrison's feet, and this somewhat excited me, though he never appeared while I was working for her. I was quite gutted to say the least...I had rather hoped he would serenade me with "Brown Eyed Girl", but it just wasn't to be.] Anyway, back to the review! One of the most famous and recognisable stars to have come from this side of Belfast is CS Lewis, though he is often forgotten about amidst the other names, such as the aforementioned Best and Van Morrison. I absolutely love this sculpture, as it epitomises CS Lewis' most famous work, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by including him in it, as the narrator of another of his books from the Chronicles of Narnia - The Magician's Nephew. I remember The Searcher being erected, and I can't believe it was 12 years ago in commemoration of the centenary of Lewis' birth! Since then, CS Lewis has become a bigger talking point for the tourist industry, with tours based on his life occurring every Sunday of the month from June to the end of September, and on the first Sunday of every month from October to March. Tickets are available from the Belfast Welcome Centre. I truly hope this wonderful and inspirational man is remembered for another hundred years, and East Belfast will continue to be proud of a man who was born here, educated in Campbell College, and lived here for much of his life.

CS Lewis Square is not much more than a small park. However, it is free to enter and roam as well…read moreas filled with a handful of statues which bring figures of his Chronicles of Narnia to life. I came in the morning and was effectively the only person around. I spent about 15-20 minutes in total walking around, attempting to take the perfect pictures, and otherwise admiring the work. If I knew folks heading to Belfast, I would recommend they try to work in a visit, especially if they were already in the area. I would not advise drastically changing your schedule to incorporate nor spending heavy for transit to get there if it were significantly out of the way. Hopefully that guidance helps in planning if you should or should not plan a visit!

We stopped by CS Lewis Square during our vacation. It is a nice dedication to CS Lewis. There are a…read morefew unique art/statue pieces dedicated to his different stories. There isn't a lot here but it's cool to get some really nice pictures. It doesn't cost anything and takes no more than 15 minutes to see each of the statues. Well worth getting off the bus walking over to it taking a look and waiting for the next bus. Especially if you are a CS Lewis fan.

This was a beautiful building, inside and out. I loved the stained glass windows and…read morearchitecture! There were many different rooms to explore, with museum-like pictures and information to view. The toilets are free!

Belfast City Hall is the city center district and located in a business area, but with expanding…read moreresidential and entertainment. Plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, churches, and historical locations surrounding the city hall. Inside is very beautiful layout architecture with a beautiful dome plus plenty of glass windows artwork. Inside the surrounding garden within, there are: Titanic Memorial Garden, Korea War Memorial, Victoria Memorial, Boer War Memorial Royal Irish Riffles, and couple statues on the other side plus city ground for you to seat and admire the city hall.

The legend of the Titanic lives on because of the famous movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate…read moreWinslet. It is a real story that is held dear in the UK. This is a nice memorial in Belfast. I was really struck by the long list of names in the plaques. I was reading the names one by one and these names seemed so real. There's a also a statue and sign in stone. This is right at City Hall. The legend of the sinking of the Titanic is a sad story that makes you ponder the wonder of human existence.

We were very pleased with the experience. We bought the "white star line" tour and it was worth…read moreevery penny. We got an hour long guided tour that not only gave us information about Titanic, but also about the building and the surrounding property. The exhibit showed every step of the process of shipbuilding in Belfast but I wished it would've shown more from the views of the passengers. What they would've seen on Titanic and her sisters. Overall, I would definately recommend people to go. It shows a part of history that is almost lost.

Just as you walk past the Northern Bank on Killinchy Street you will come to some cobbled pavement…read morewith the shapes of a hound and a hare outlined in white against the traditional dark cobbles. There are also words spelt out in white stone and a few other pictures which I couldn't really make out. I stopped three passers-by to tell what this was. The first guy was eastern European and hadn't a clue what I was on about. The second man thought I was trying to chat him up and just kept giggling and smiling before walking off with a big grin on his face (?) and the third elderly lady knew the craic - if in doubt about anything historical ask elderly ladies - they know everything. Apparently the image is of a hound dog chasing a hare and was put there by the man who owned the Comber Distillery which was just up the street a bit. He used to live in the houses that the pavement is outside and he did the piece of art in memorial to a winning greyhound that won at the English Waterloo Cup for a few years in the 1800's. He must have got a bet up and won a few bob or why bother. I might do a stencil of whichever horse wins the grand national this year but only if I win a quid or two. If you don't look down you will miss this interesting and local 'Banksy'

Located in Belfast's most famous historical hot spot this tourist attraction is one of the city's…read moremost exciting new ventures. Over the next number of years The Titanic Quarter will be built and developed as a prime tourist spot. Admittedly, we happened across it totally by accident (we were going to another building linked with Titanic close by, we failed to see the room so decided to detour around the docks) And so we discovered the story behind Belfast's maritime magic at the dry dock and pump house. This area was once the very heart of Harland & Wolff during the construction of the Titanic. The dry dock is HUGE. This is not an exaggeration. It was ...gargantuan! (Imagine getting a bath in that bad boy! Ha, think of the amount of water and all those fluffy bubbles! Sorry, out of crazy Suzi B land) Back to boat...we decided not to take one of the guided tours (you can choose to do so inside) so instead we dandered slowly around by ourselves. I'd recommend taking the left side so you can check out the life size model of the Titanic's prow (wow!) Then continue on and look at the entrance to the lower dock. The steps lead down to the lower level. It's interesting to see the ramp which was used to carry all the building materials, and that chain. Boy that is old! When you think how old this place is, there's so much history and life to it, even though it's deserted. So once you've had enough here, go on to the end of the dock and see if you can spot the few leaks in the gate. Scary, isn't it! Once you reach the end and are at the waters edge, if you're a total tourist, which I am, you can stretch your arms Rose style in Titanic and pretend to be flying. I did, I'm sorry, its fun! The views up this end are stunning. Take a look at the machinery currently working, building the ships of today. It's obviously machine now not man, the dockers life has gone. I found this all incredibly interesting. You can go in to the Pump house where there's a small cafe situated as well as some more informative points and videos to watch. Look for the picture showing the rudders of the Titanic. Look at the size of these compared to the dock. Mind blowing! This would be a great place to bring visitors. Exceptionally informative and interesting. I could not believe I'd never been here never mind heard of it. I'll def be back to check out more and Its 100% getting brilliant recommendations from me.

Great site to visit in Belfast and a short drive from the city center…read more This graving dock was once the largest in the world (in 1911) and is an extraordinary engineering feat for its time. Here you can see the pumphouse, view videos and exhibits of the facility, and descend the stairs into the graving dock itself. Guided tours available during the busy months. Video exhibits, and Android/iPhone apps to supplement your tour also. Make sure if you are using the app to download the video components before you leave the ticketing area.

It is a shame to note that this Art Deco building which should stand out amongst the crowd in Royal…read moreAvenue does nothing of the sort thanks to the neglected run down state it has got into. I don't yet know who is responsible for the upkeep of the building but it appears derelict with weeds growing out of the window boxes. If you take a closer look the exterior, despite its shabbiness, is unspoilt and retains an original doorcase, lettering, window fittings and so on. As a local landmark the old Bank of Ireland Building is in need great need of care and attention.

At the end of Customs's House square, walking to the river, you will see this lovely sand stone…read moresculpture with a mini fountain. So this is one of the only cattle/ horse troughs of 21 originally which still remains standing currently in Belfast. It commemorates Francis Calder, the gentleman who gave funds to have it built, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that he became a founding member of the Belfast branch of the RSPCA. I really liked the carvings plus the inscription is neat and it's a good reminder of how modes of transport have changed. It's Georgian design with a cute single cast iron lamp perched on the top. So if in the area, definitely come and check it out. Note: #231 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016