If you were in IRC you pretty much saw me jizz at this thread, since i DO love this stuff. I will give you a history of Belfast here from it's beginnings to now through maps, paintings and photographs. I don't live exactly in Belfast i live in the Greater Area so i will show you the area there. Be quick to notice that unlike American cities the plots and streets aren't built in blocks or squares.

Basically to start this was Belfast during 1685.



The closest picture i can find of this period is a painting of the High Street in 1730



Basically the High Street was the hub of development in the "city" it was were the markets would have been located etc.

Moving on to the 19th century, Victorian Belfast.

Here is the High Street in 1839 a century later.



and here are some photos of Belfast towards the end of the 19th century.

1900 Harbour - this is the period were the Titantic was getting constructed, so around there - it sailed 1912!




The clock below is the Albert Clock named after Queen Victorias husband. It is at the end of the High Street. It still stands there today. Note the horse drawn trams and the other generic Victorian things: boys selling newspapers on the streets etc.





So that's the 19th century Belfast and entering into the 20th century here is how the city looked then. The square indicates the original 1685 Belfast area. The map is from 1938 post WW2 another century later!





Here is the effect of the war on Belfast - The Blitz.



The High Street Below - you can see the Albert Clock at the end. Bombed out plots. Also trams now horseless!



More destruction, excuse the watermark.



I weirdly found links to you guys in the US. US WW2 graveyard.



And a war plaque.



Heading towards the end of the century.

Here is the high street! AGAIN. 300 years we have gone through one street! Circa 1999 - clock still there.



Now for the actual thread posts!

One of the University buildings - the one i go to!



A view of the City Centre and the houses in the background are North Belfast. The "mountain" you see in the background is Cave Hill, that is were the US airmen crashed.



More City Centre - where that wheel is, is the city hall.



The world famous H&W cranes. The area where the Titanic was built. There are two cranes, the photographer is standing on one of them!



Finally here is the City Hall, the green space is popular during the summer.



Actually i've more Belfast to show you, the troubles etc.

Here are some Murals.



Found this one with Bush i lold.



This ones for Maiden fans!



Here is the Oddysey Arena - it's a concert venue, the bit on the right with the circularesque roof is an ice hockey arena - it's also used for concerts, also a cinema in there. In the background you can see one of the cranes. The picture is taken on the M3 - one of like 5 motorways we have in the whole country. YES THAT'S RIGHT FIVE.



This is Royal Avenue, it leads up to the city hall, this is facing away from it though and is about half of it. This replaces the High Street as the big market area. This if you go to Belfast is where all the shops are located, it's the central area of business. Where the green man is on the pedestrian crossing is in fact the high street. On the corner is a McDonalds. The area to the left the white building beside the pedestrian sign is a Tescos - i don't know what it is elsewhere, it's essentially a giant food selling chain where you buy well your food! The red building past it are all clothes shops, further up is a glass building - when this was taken it was probably a virgin megastore - that building if you have been watching my Medievil videos is where i bought it! It was then another record store - Zavvi and is now another clothing store.