The Belfast Clock Tower, or the Albert Memorial Clock is situated at the Queen’s Square in Belfast. The design of the clock tower was chosen after a competition was held to invite designs for a memorial for late Prince Albert. After a lot of controversy surrounding the identity of the actual winner, the sandstone memorial was constructed over a span of four years in French and Italian gothic styles and stands 113 feet tall.

A statue of the Prince can be found on one of the walls of the tower. Because the tower was built on marshy land and on wooden piles, it leans a bit. No wonder it is joked that this tower is Northern Ireland’s answer to the leaning tower of Pisa. To stop the tower from leaning further, a restoration project was undertaken which was completed in 2002, strengthening the wooden foundation and giving the tower a thorough cleaning.

Back in the days, the area around the tower was grubby and infamous for prostitutes plying their trade, but in recent times it has had a complete overhaul and boasts of clean and attractive public spaces.