Guildhall, Derry City

Located just outside the walled city near the River Foyle, the original Guildhall building was completed in 1890. Made from stone and sandstone, and embellished with Victorian ornamentation in the neo gothic style, its most notable feature is a series of exceptional stained glass windows.

The windows portray the history of Derry, and were created by a Belfast firm called Campbell’s in 1890. IRA bombings in 1972 destroyed the glass artwork, but amazingly, original plans still on file and accessible allowed Campbell’s to create exact replicas of the shattered windows.

The Guildhall hosts monthly Council Meetings along with an occasional musical recital. Behind the building, along the river, sits Derry Quay, a popular point of departure for many of those who emigrated to America in the 18th and 19th centuries.