I'm up at the top 'business end' of the fabulous Stormont Estate near Carson's Statue looking at Stormont Parliament Buildings.
Stormont Parliament Buildings, or Stormont because of its location in the Stormont Estate area of Belfast, is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for the region. The Executive or government is located at Stormont Castle. Parliament Building is a Grade A Listed building.
Built in a Greek classical style the foundation stone was laid in 1928. It was built by Stewart & Partners and opened by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), in1932.
The Senate chamber was used by the Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) as an operations room during World War II.
On 3 December 2005, the Great Hall was used for the funeral service of former Northern Ireland and Manchester United footballer George Best. The building was selected for the funeral as it is in the only grounds in Belfast suitable to accommodate the large number of members of the public who wished to attend the funeral. Approximately 25,000 people gathered in the grounds, with thousands more lining the cortege route
Statues- to Edward, Lord Carson, in dramatic pose (on the drive leading up to the building) in 1932, a rare example of a statue to a person being erected before death.
Edward Henry Carson, Baron Carson, ( 1854 – 1935). From 1900 to 1921 known as Sir Edward Carson he was an Irish unionist politician, barrister and judge. His leadership is marked, for securing a continued place in the United Kingdom for the six north-eastern counties, albeit under a devolved Parliament of Northern Ireland that neither he nor his fellow unionists had sought.
Lord Craigavon Statue- in the Great Hall, half way up the Imperial Staircase. Craigavon and his wife Viscountess Craigavon are buried in the estate grounds behind the Parliamnet Buildings.
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