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| History of the Harbour Office | ||
| For almost 150 years the Harbour Office has been the headquarters of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners. | ||
| The first section of the building, designed by the Commissioners’ engineer George Smith and erected at a cost of £8,000, was opened in 1854. A subsequent extension, by the celebrated Belfast architect William Henry Lynn, was completed in 1895 at a cost of £14,349. The style of architecture is that of an Italian palazzo. | ||
| Of particular interest, on entering the building, are the marble mosaic floors in the ground floor reception area and in the first floor lobby. Also noteworthy are the impressive stained glass windows depicting industry, commerce and enterprise, together with the coats of arms of the many ports and cities with which Belfast traded in the past. | ||
As regards day-to-day
life within the building, the ground floor is currently used as
office accommodation, whilst the grandiose
rooms on the upper floor are reserved for business meetings, including
the Commissioners’ monthly board meeting and various special
functions. These rooms, heavily ornate in typical Victorian fashion,
also provide an appropriate setting for the Commissioners’ impressive
fine art collection. The Commissioners are committed to maintaining
the building’s historic fabric in its original glory. |
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