- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1867 · 19th century
- Location
- Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Style
- Scottish baronial architecture
- Architect
- Charles Lanyon
- Coordinates
- 54.6427°, -5.9423°
History
Belfast's first castles stood in the town itself – a Norman stronghold was replaced in 1611 by Arthur Chichester's castle, which burned down in 1708. The present building on the slopes of Cave Hill was begun in 1867 for the 3rd Marquess of Donegall to designs by the firm of Lanyon, Lynn and Lanyon, in the Scottish Baronial style. The marquess ran into money troubles, and the work was completed in 1870 by his son-in-law, the Earl of Shaftesbury. In 1934 the family gave the castle to the city of Belfast. After a thorough restoration in 1978–1988 it serves as a venue with a restaurant and function rooms.
What to see
The sandstone castle, with its tall tower and a Baroque staircase descending to the gardens, stands at the edge of the Cave Hill park woods. The terraces look over the city, the port and Belfast Lough. In the garden visitors can hunt for hidden images of cats, and paths lead from the park up to the summit of Cave Hill with its Iron Age fort.
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