Construction has begun on a new state-of-the-art visitor centre at Belfast City Cemetery.
The new £2.3 million centre is a key part of the project which aims to protect and enhance the existing heritage of the cemetery and ensure current and future generations are able to access and understand its fascinating history. Funding has been provided by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Belfast City Council.
Dating back to the 1860s, the cemetery is one of Belfast’s most historically significant sites, with some of the city's most influential figures buried there, including Edward Harland, Margaret Byers and Sir William Pirrie.
Alongside the new visitor centre, the cemetery’s listed assets are being restored, with new interpretive signs to be installed and new technology to help visitors navigate the vast site.
A programme of guided tours, schools programmes, workshops and events is also being developed.
Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey said: “This will be key to attracting more visitors and transforming how people interact with the cemetery, helping to unlock its many stories.
“The new centre will be a flexible space, acting as a welcome area, an interpretive centre and an education space. Alongside traditional interpretive displays, digital information points will provide insights into the history of the site and the notable figures who are buried there.
“Workstations will also be installed to help people research their genealogy, while an indoor and outdoor educational space will help open up the site’s rich heritage to schools and youth groups in the years ahead.”
For more information visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/citycemeteryheritage.
