Albert Memorial Clock

The Albert Memorial Clock Tower is a striking clock tower in Belfast, standing at Queen's Square near the River Lagan. Built between 1865 and 1870 as a memorial to Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, who died in 1861, the structure was designed by architect William J. Barre, whose plans combine elements of French and Italian Gothic style. The tower, made mainly of sandstone, has a life-size statue of the prince on its west side, shown in the robes of a Knight of the Garter. Because the ground beneath it has settled, the tower leans slightly to one side, which earned it the nickname "Belfast's Leaning Tower of Pisa." To stabilize the tilt and repair damage, the tower underwent a comprehensive restoration in the early 2000s.