Peace Wall, Belfast (must see)
The Belfast Peace Walls are barriers that separate Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods through the city. They were originally built in 1969 to establish peace by separating sectarian groups. Today, they are popular tourist attractions.
Arguably, the most famous Peace Wall is located between Shankill Road and Falls Road. There is also a large Peace Wall along Cupar Way, which has become a canvas for local artists. Graffiti and street art intermingle on the Peace Walls to provide color to the city while also reminding citizens and tourists of the strife of the country.
The walls were originally meant to be temporary structures. Ironically, the structures have not only stayed in place, but have increased in number. The most recent Peace Wall was constructed in 2017. There are now 59 in the city.
The Belfast City Council began a plan to remove the Peace Walls, but the vast majority of residents believe they continue to help quell violence. Still, the plan is for all Peace Walls to be removed in the future.
Arguably, the most famous Peace Wall is located between Shankill Road and Falls Road. There is also a large Peace Wall along Cupar Way, which has become a canvas for local artists. Graffiti and street art intermingle on the Peace Walls to provide color to the city while also reminding citizens and tourists of the strife of the country.
The walls were originally meant to be temporary structures. Ironically, the structures have not only stayed in place, but have increased in number. The most recent Peace Wall was constructed in 2017. There are now 59 in the city.
The Belfast City Council began a plan to remove the Peace Walls, but the vast majority of residents believe they continue to help quell violence. Still, the plan is for all Peace Walls to be removed in the future.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Belfast. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Peace Wall on Map
Sight Name: Peace Wall
Sight Location: Belfast, Ireland (See walking tours in Belfast)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Belfast, Ireland (See walking tours in Belfast)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Belfast, Ireland
Create Your Own Walk in Belfast
Creating your own self-guided walk in Belfast is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Belfast Victorian Architecture Jewels
Described as “modestly scaled, undemonstrative, somewhat solid in aspect, and usually restrained (sometimes even austere) in its use of external decoration”, the urban landscape of Belfast has been influenced by the demands of shipbuilding and linen industry, much as transitioning between culture, arts, commerce, and education. Still, the architectural spectrum of the city is quite broad and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
The Troubles and Peace Process Landmarks
Decades past the official end of The Troubles in Belfast, the price of peace in Northern Ireland remains high. One of the means with which to secure it, back in 1969, was erecting a wall to physically separate the capital's warring Protestant and Catholic communities. Known since as the Peace Wall, the structure has become a popular tourist attraction for the multiple murals painted thereon... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Belfast Introduction Walking Tour
For over a century, the political situation of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, has been the source of strife, first between the Crown-loyal Protestants and Irish Catholics, and more recently between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Sitting on the banks of the River Lagan where it meets the Irish Sea, the city owes its name to this coastal condition, with "Belfast"... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Sitting on the banks of the River Lagan where it meets the Irish Sea, the city owes its name to this coastal condition, with "Belfast"... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles