Things you didn't know about... Belfast

Thank Belfast for the little people...
...and a giant one as well. A hill north of Belfast, Cavehill, is believed to resemble a sleeping giant, with a forehead, nose and chin clearly discernible. The author Jonathan Swift, who went on to write Gulliver's Travels, once lived in a Lilliput Cottage in Belfast.

Belfast built the Titanic
In 1845 Belfast harbour was dredged to create deeper berths for ships. This led to its growing importance as a port but it was the creation of the Harland & Wolff shipyard in 1861 that put Belfast on the shipping map. By the time the Titanic was built there in 1912 it had become the largest shipyard in the world.

The National Trust has an unusual site in Belfast
The National Trust's only pub is in Belfast—the Crown Liquor Saloon in Great Victoria Street. It was made famous in the Carol Reed-directed film noir classic Odd Man Out, starring James Mason. Check out the restaurant panels in the Crown Bar—they were originally made for the Titanic's sister ship, the Brittanic.

Belfast felt the force of the Blitz
World War II took its toll on Belfast, particularly on the Harland & Wolff shipyards that made the area a strategic target for German bombers. In 1941, one German raid killed 1,000 people and left tens of thousands homeless. It was the greatest loss of life in a night raid during the Blitz outside of London.

Belfast has the oldest—and the oddest—publications
Belfast is the home of the world's oldest English-language newspaper continuously in publication, The News Letter. It's also home to the long-running current affairs publication Fortnight—which is published monthly.

Belfast bred the Best football player
The 1968 European Player of the Year, Northern Ireland and Manchester United's George Best was a son of Belfast. When he died in 2005, some 100,000 people lined the funeral route from his home on the Cregagh Road to Roselawn cemetery. Belfast City Airport has been renamed in his honour.

Best is remembered for his wit as well as his incredible footballing skills. Once asked why he had decided to move to North America, he replied, "Well, I saw a sign saying 'Drink Canada Dry', so I thought I'd give it a go."