Queen’s University, Belfast

Founded in 1849 and named after Queen Victoria, Queen’s University began as three colleges, located in Belfast, Galway and Cork. They became one university in 1908 when the Colleges and the Royal University were replaced by the Queen's University of Belfast and also the National University of Ireland.

The first class of students numbered about 90. They attended classes in the main buildings, located just a few minutes’ walk from Donegall Square and the center of the city of Belfast. Designed by Charles Lanyon, they were fashioned from red and yellow brick, in a Tudor style that resembles Magdalene College at Oxford.

The main building, also known as the Lanyon Building, features three towers, large windows made of lead glass and imposing ornamentation. It is a familiar backdrop, often used as a background for films and news reports about Belfast.

The University Visitors Centre is located in the Lanyon Building. It provides services for visitors and alumni, displays historical items related to the University, and offers a variety of souvenirs. The centre features a schedule of exhibits and presentations designed to enrich the entire community.

Also nearby: University Square and the Seamus Haney Library named for the poet from Ulster who won the Nobel Prize in 1997.

Today’s Queen’s University is made up of over 300 buildings, many of which are historically significant. The student body numbers near the 24,000 mark.