Grand Central Hotel, Belfast
Encyclopedia
The Grand Central Hotel, on Royal Avenue in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, opened in 1893. The building existed as a hotel
until 1972, when it was taken over by the British Army
as a military base from which to patrol the city centre during the height of the Troubles
.
The hotel contained around 200 guest bedrooms and had many famous guests staying under its roof, including the Beatles in the 1960s.
In 1972, the Army acquired the building, converting it to a military barracks which was in place until the early 1980s.
The troops based there were protected by anti-rocket screens constructed around the front of the building on the main street to repel everything from bricks and bottles to paint and blast bombs
. One of the most bombarded hotel of the world, it was attacked more than 150 times by the Provisional IRA and other groups.
In the late 1980s, the hotel was no longer required as a military base. It was acquired by developers and partly demolished to make way for the CastleCourt
shopping centre which was completed in 1990.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, opened in 1893. The building existed as a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
until 1972, when it was taken over by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a military base from which to patrol the city centre during the height of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
The hotel contained around 200 guest bedrooms and had many famous guests staying under its roof, including the Beatles in the 1960s.
In 1972, the Army acquired the building, converting it to a military barracks which was in place until the early 1980s.
The troops based there were protected by anti-rocket screens constructed around the front of the building on the main street to repel everything from bricks and bottles to paint and blast bombs
Blast bomb
Blast bomb is a term used in Northern Ireland for a type of improvised explosive device. More specifically, these devices are usually a form of homemade grenade, which is thrown at a target. These devices have been used in a number of public order situations, and in attacks on the Royal Ulster...
. One of the most bombarded hotel of the world, it was attacked more than 150 times by the Provisional IRA and other groups.
In the late 1980s, the hotel was no longer required as a military base. It was acquired by developers and partly demolished to make way for the CastleCourt
Westfield CastleCourt
Westfield CastleCourt is a shopping centre on Royal Avenue in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's second largest shopping centre after Foyleside in Derry City. and has approximately 16 million visits a year...
shopping centre which was completed in 1990.