54°36′24.51″N5°54′20.84″W / 54.6068083°N 5.9057889°W /54.6068083; -5.9057889
Titanic Quarter inBelfast,Northern Ireland, is a large-scale waterfront regeneration, comprising historic maritime landmarks, film studios, education facilities, apartments, a riverside entertainment district, and the world's largest Titanic-themed attraction centred on land inBelfast Harbour, known until 1995 asQueen's Island, and initially,Dargan's Island. The 185-acre (75 ha) site, previously occupied by part of theHarland and Wolff shipyard, is named after the company's, and the city's, most famous product,RMSTitanic. Titanic Quarter is part of the Dublin-based group,Harcourt Developments, which has held the development rights since 2003.[1]
Prior to the developments of the Titanic Quarter, the island was initially named ‘Dargan’s Island’ after engineerWilliam Dargan who was undertaking the work. In the 1840s, the land was created when a deep channel was cut through the mudflats of the river Lagan, the material excavated from the cut was used to form the artificial Dargan’s Island.[2] It was later renamed toQueen's Island whenQueen Victoria visited Belfast in 1849.[3] The island's first use was as a people's park, with a zoo, a Crystal Palace, gardens, and a bathing pond.
In 1853 the Harbour Commissioners leased land on the island to shipbuilder Robert Hickson, who later employed a 23-year-oldEdward Harland as manager. In 1861 Edward Harland andHamburg-bornGustav Wolff established what was to become the world's most successful shipyard - Harland and Wolff. The Queen's Island shipyard continued to grow after taking charge of the Shipyard. By 1875, Harland and Wolff had grown to a large yard employing more than 1,000 workers. Wooden lighthouses were erected in the late 1800s to assist the mariners as they came in and out of the Belfast docks as Belfast's coal and steel industries continued to grow.[4]
The Abercorn Basin and Hamilton Dock were established in 1876 for the growing shipbuilding industry.[5] The Abercorn Basin (known as Belfast Marina) was used for the transportation of coal onto cargo boats, the presence of swan-necked cranes were common during the 20th century.Harland & Wolff shipyard used Abercorn Basin to launch many of ships forWhite Star Line.[6]
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The largest development is the £97 millionTitanic Belfast visitor attraction which holds the record for the island's largest ever single concrete pour (4,300 cubic metres) for its foundations. The building opened on 31 March 2012 and attracted over 800,000 visitors in its first year. The attraction is owned by a charitable foundation. The architects said that "we have created an architectural icon that captures the spirit of the shipyards, ships, water crystals, ice, and theWhite Star Line's logo. Its architectural form cuts a skyline silhouette that has been inspired by the very ships that were built on this hallowed ground."[7]
In 2005 theCatalyst Inc opened, a science park affiliated closely withQueen's University Belfast, theUniversity of Ulster and Titanic Studios (aka thePaint Hall Studios, a film studio originally created by film producerJo Gilbert that was used in the production of films includingTom Hanks'sCity of Ember starringBill Murray,Your Highness andHBO's television seriesGame of Thrones).[8][9]
The £30 million headquarters of thePublic Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) opened at 2 Titanic Boulevard in April 2011.[10] PRONI is the national archive for Northern Ireland and holds records dating from 1219.[11]
In September 2011, the largest education facility in Northern Ireland, theBelfast Institute for Further and Higher Education (nowBelfast Metropolitan College), opened a £211 million campus in Titanic Quarter.[12]
Belfast Harbour Marina opened in the centre of Titanic Quarter in 2009 as part of theBelfast Tall Ships Festival. Located in the Abercorn Basin, it features 40 berths for leisure craft, it was funded by theNorthern Ireland Tourist Board and Belfast Tall Ships 2009 Ltd. It is the forerunner to a future 200 berth marina in the Titanic Quarter.[13]
In November 2010 the first hotel, aPremier Inn with onsite restaurant, opened in Titanic Quarter. Over 40 new jobs were created.[14]
In 2013, theSS Nomadic was restored, over 100 years after it was originally built. It sits in Hamilton Dock. It is the last remaining vessel of White Star Line.[15] The iron caisson of the dry dock, built by Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd. in 1888 is awaiting restoration.[16]
In September 2017 a second hotel,Titanic Hotel Belfast, opened in the former Harland & Wolff Headquarters and Drawing Offices. The hotel includes artwork in the drawing offices from former Harland and Wolff worker, now current artist,Colin H Davidson.[17]
BelfastAudi, operated by the Agnew Group, opened its new headquarters in November 2010. Located at 80 Sydenham Road, it created 115 new jobs.[18]
The first residential development in Titanic Quarter was completed in December 2010.The Arc comprises apartments and shops, and is located adjacent to Abercorn Basin.[19]
In September 2014,Northern Irish boxerCarl Frampton won theIBF world super-bantamweight title in a specially constructed outdoor arena in the Titanic Quarter in front of 16,000 fans,[20] Northern Ireland's largest ever boxing crowd.[21]
The Titanic Quarter is served by Translink Metro Services 94, 600A and 600B bus services, which run from Donegall Square North (Across from City Hall) toHolywood Exchange, Catalyst Inc, and Belfast City Airport, via The SSE Arena, Queens Road, Titanic Belfast and Belfast Harbour Estate East.
The area is also served byNI Railways services toTitanic Quarter (Bridge End) station, which is the first station heading towardsBangor on theBelfast–Bangor line fromLanyon Place.
The G2 service, operated by theBelfast Rapid Transit System (Glider) also terminates at Titanic Quarter.
Belfast Metropolitan College's new Titanic Quarter campus.
