Donegall Square East

The limestone facade of Belfast City Hall occupies the center of Donegall Square, its massive copper dome rising above the surrounding streets. It opened in nineteen oh six on the site of the former White Linen Hall, a place where merchants once traded the cloth that built the city. When construction finished, the building symbolized Belfast's industrial power during the era of the British Empire. Its grand halls hosted everything from local council meetings to state visits, asserting the city's place in the world.