Historical Belfast

In the 17th Century Belfast was a little more than a village. Then came the development of industries such as linen, rope making, shipbuilding, engineering and tobacco and the population rapidly grew to 300,000. In 1888 Queen Victoria - who had visited Belfast in 1849 - gave the town the status of City. Building started in 1898 and the building was completed in 1906. The City Hall stands in the centre of Donegal Square in the heart of downtown Belfast, dominating the City's principal shopping area and adding a distinctive outline to the Belfast skyline.

The Palm House is one of the earliest examples of a curvilinear and cast iron glasshouse. The Belfast Botanical and Horticultural Society began its construction in the 1830s. The two wings were completed in 1840, and were built by Richard Turner of Dublin, who later built the Great Palm House at Kew Gardens.

Botanic Gardens Over the years, the Palm House has acquired a reputation for good plant collections.

The Palm House