Exterior

The idea of a Cathedral for Belfast arose in 1888, when the then town of Belfast was granted ‘city’ status by Queen Victoria.  The foundation stone was laid in September 1899 and in June 1904, the nave of St Anne’s Cathedral was opened for public worship.  The cathedral is said to have been named after Lady Anne, wife of the 1st Marquis of Donegall and daughter of the 5th Duke of Hamilton.  

St Anne’s was designed by the Belfast architect, Thomas Drew in the Hiberno-Romanesque style (featuring semi-circular arches to its windows and doorways) with additions over subsequent decades. 

The Cathedral is renowned for its beautiful architecture and stained-glass windows, and the interior is particularly remarkable for its stone carvings and historic flags.