The Titanic Memorial Garden sits in a quiet corner of the grounds of Belfast’s City Hall. I found myself there a few weeks ago, on a bright Tuesday afternoon , completely by chance. I realised rather embarrassingly that I’d never been there before. And so, instead of just walking on through, I stopped a while to learn a little bit more about this quiet, reflective space in the centre of the city
The garden’s design
The garden has two levels. The lower level is a grassed terrace surrounding a marble statue. the upper level has a memorial plinth.
I wandered around a little more, taking in the backdrop of the City Hall and the lovely garden, full of hellebores and hyacinths. The marble statue you see below was unveiled in 1920. Originally it stood in the roadway in front of the City Hall. Later, in 1959, it was moved to its current position inside the grounds. The Titanic Memorial Garden was then built around it in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.
The Titanic Memorial Garden – The Marble Statue
The memorial plinth on the upper level has fifteen bronze plaques which list, in alphabetical order, the names of all those who perished in the sinking. Some 1,512 people in total. It is the only memorial in the world that lists everyone who perished including passengers, crew, musicians etc.
The Titanic Memorial Garden – the upper level and plinth
Pretty spring flowers in The Titanic Memorial Garden
A place to reflect
The Titanic and its sinking forms such a huge part of Belfast’s history. And so it’s rather lovely that you can come to this place, right in the centre of the city, and reflect on that fateful day. And amidst the noise and hubbub of the city , it is a tranquil space. It’s also a spot to sit and gather one’s thoughts and remember lost loved ones. I found myself remembering my grandad who painted a few ships in his time. If you find yourself in Belfast one day, I do recommend a visit.
You can find out more about the Titanic Memorial Garden on this website.
Thanks for stopping by,
Paula
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