Stormont's dazzling white neoclassical facade is one of Belfast's most iconic. The Northern Irish parliament occupies a dramatic position at the end of a gently rising, 1.5km avenue and is fronted by a defiant statue of the arch-Unionist Sir Edward Carson.
Occasional free guided tours run on weekdays in July and August. Otherwise, you're free to walk around the extensive grounds, or you can take a video tour on the website.
Take bus 20A from Donegall Sq W.
From its completion in 1932 until the introduction of direct rule in 1972, Stormont was the seat of the parliament of Northern Ireland, and on 8 May 2007, it returned to the forefront of Irish politics when Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness – the best of enemies for decades – laughed and smiled as they were sworn in as first minister and deputy first minister, respectively.
Stormont is fronted by a defiant statue of the arch-Unionist Sir Edward Carson . Nearby, 19th-century Stormont Castle, like Hillsborough in County Down, is an official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
