This list of the tallest buildings and structures in Belfast ranks buildings and structures in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by height. Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and hosts the majority of its high-rise buildings. The tallest building in the city is Obel Tower at 86 metres (282 feet), a residential high-rise completed in 2010. It is the tallest building in both Northern Ireland and the entire island of Ireland. The tallest structure is the Black Mountain transmitting station, which rises to a height of 228.6 m (750 ft)
There are at least 10 structures in the city taller than and there are at least 36 habitable buildings in the city taller than .
Tallest by category The tallest building in Belfast is the Obel Tower at . It is the tallest building in both Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland. The tallest structure in Belfast is the Black Mountain transmission station, servicing TV and Radio, at . The tallest free standing and occupied structure is the Harland and Wolf shipbuilding gantry crane Samson at . The tallest chimney is the Belfast City Hospital chimney at . The tallest church is Belfast (St. Anne's) Cathedral at . The tallest clock is the Albert Memorial Clock at .
Tallest structures
These lists rank the 8 tallest structures in Belfast by total height.
+Belfast Tallest StructuresRankNameUseImageHeight (m)Height (ft)Floors above groundYear of completionNotes1Black Mountain transmitting stationTV mast228.6750N/A19592Divis transmitting stationTV mast166545N/A20114"Samson"Shipbuilding Gantry Crane106348N/A19745Belfast Ship repair Quay craneShip repair Crane104341N/Aunknown6"Goliath"Shipbuilding Gantry Crane96316N/A19697Belfast City Hospital ChimneyChimney95312N/A19868Grand Central HotelHotel93305231975 The building portion of the hotel is only 80 metres tall, while the structural element reaches a height of 93 metres. 9ObelResidential8628128201010St Anne's Cathedral (Church of Ireland)Church80262N/A2007
Tallest buildings This list ranks buildings in Belfast that stand at least 200 m (656 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.
Belfast tallest Buildings Rank Name Use Image Height (m) Height (ft) Floors(above ground) Year of completion Notes 1Obel Residential 86 282 28 2010 2Grand Central Hotel Hotel 80 262 23 1975 The building portion of the hotel is only 80 metres tall, while the structural element reaches a height of 93 metres. 3Belfast City Hospital Tower Hospital 76 249 15 19864City Quays 3Office74243 162021 (topped out)5The EwartOffice 73240172021 (topped out)(Nicknamed "R2D2" for the Star Wars droid) 6Belfast International Hilton Hotel Hotel 63 207 16 1998 7BT Riverside Tower Office 62 203 14 1998 8Divis Tower Residential 61 200 20 1966 9= The Boat Office/Residential 57 187 15 20109=Royal Victoria Hospital Critical Care BuildingHospital57187122012 11= Linum Chambers Bedford Square Office 55 180 13 2005 11= Causeway Tower Office 55 180 13 2004 11= Great Northern Tower Office 55 180 13 199214Ulster University Belfast CampusUniversity 5217113202115Grainne HouseResidential52171171968 16Europa Hotel Hotel 51 167 13 1971 17= Bruce Street Student accommodation Student accommodation 5116715202317= Lanyon Plaza Office 50 164 12 2014 19= Bedford House Office 49 161 12 1966 19= River House Office 49 161 14 1970 Building reclad in 2018.19=Ferndale House Parkdale House
Riverdale HouseResidential4916115196519=Coolemoyne House Rathmoyne HouseResidential4916115196226Queen's University Medical Biology Centre (MBC)University4815812196927Swanston House 41-49 Queen streetResidential (student) 47155142016 28= 14 Great Victoria Street Office 46 151 11 2003 28= Fanum House Office 46 151 13 196528=Dundonald houseOffice4615112early 1960s 28=Ashby Building University 46 151 11 196528=101 York StreetResidential (student)46151142021 (topped out) 33= Kilbroney House Residential 45 148 15 1967 33= Carnet House Residential 45 148 15 196633=Bradbury courtResidential4514815Early 1960s33=FX, 14-18 Montgomery streetResidential 4514815201933=Maldron hotelHotel 4514815201833=Elms BT2, McClintock StreetResidential (student) 45148162018
Tallest non-habitable buildings List of tallest non Habitable buildings over 45m tall in Belfast. Non-Habitable building refers to a building where most of the height is taken up by an architectural feature which is not habitable such as a spire, or storage space. +RankNameUseImageHeight (m)Height (ft)Year of ConstructionNotes1St Anne's CathedralAnglican Cathedral (Church of Ireland)8026220072St Patrick's Church, BelfastRoman Catholic chapel5518018773West Twin SilosWarehouse5417719634Belfast City HallGovernment Building5317419065Carlisle Memorial ChurchFormer Methodist Church now a venue5217118756St Peter's Cathedral, BelfastRoman Catholic Cathedral501641866
Tallest demolished Tallest buildings and structures in Belfast over 45m to have been demolished. +NameUseImageHeight (m)FloorsNotesDivis Transmitting station (old)TV MastsMast A =140.7 and Mast B=139.5N/ABuilt in 1957 Replaced in 2011Power station West 3 ChimneysPower station Chimneys80N/AWas opened in 1962, and closed in 2002 as move towards green energy began. Chimneys were demolished in 2007.Churchill HouseOffice66 (not including mast)18When built in 1966 it was Belfast's tallest building. Was occupied by Northern Ireland civil servants. Demolished in 2004. Now Victoria Square Shopping centre is where it once stood.Greeves' (Cupar street) mill chimneyChimney66N/AWhen built it was the tallest chimney in Ireland and was until at least 1923. It had to be felled for safety reasons as it quickly deteriorated.Belfast WheelObservation wheel60N/AWas opened 2007 and closed 2010, due to blocking listed Belfast City hall and titanic memorial. Talks of moving it to the Titanic quarter led to nothing.
Potential tall buildings in Belfast Section covers buildings and structures under construction, had planning permission approved and have been proposed for Belfast. Exact heights stated in this section are taken directly from building plans found at and most recent approvals are announced online, where older ones are found in the previous reference.
Under construction This lists buildings that are currently under construction.
NameImage Use Height (m) Floors NotesRoyal Victoria children's Hospital*Add when crane erected any cgi image will likely be removed due to copyrightHospital61 (65 structure)12Demolition of Bostock House (site location) underway.Bankmore square Office and Student Accommodation 58 and 5614 and 17Under construction Approved 16/04/24 Construction due Sept 24 with completion in 2026 for office and 2027 for student accommodation. Redesign of previously approved proposal with smaller footprint and similar height. Area now temporary trade market and events space. Two new Pans
Full application for office Full application for student accom Loftlines add pic when crane up btr and social housing 57 max also 45 18 max also 14 construction started 26/06/2023 link to planning app Planning ref:LA04/2021/2280/F
Approved This lists buildings that have been given planning permission to be constructed in Belfast. Name Use Height (m) Floors NotesCity Quay 4Residential76.4 (79.4m plant if measured same way as capital dock this would be official height)23Belfast Harbour proposal in 2019 PAN submitted September 2022 Planning ref:LA04/2022/1752/PAN Full application submitted LA04/2023/2388/F with confirmed planned height in documents recommended for approval in Dec 2023 planning meeting, height slightly increased and full planned height confirmed. Approved in Jan 16 2024 planning meeting Royal Victoria Hospital energy centrePower station70 (Flue chimney stack)N/AGranted planning permission in Belfast City council's 14/12/21 planning meeting This will not be a 'habitable building' but a prominent structure. Planning ref: LA04/2021/1492/F. 39 Corporation Street Student accommodation 67 20 proposed in 2024 and full planning documents uploaded in 2025 approved June 2025 planning committee 21-29 Corporation streetMixed use6319Proposed in 2018, pre planning accepted, renders of design produced by developer Macleer and Rushe in 2020. Formal planning application imminent. Note site has previous applications up to 20 stories accepted planning permission including offices and 250 bedroom hotel but nothing has come of it yet with site still derelict. Full Planning application submitted August 2021 Planning ref LA04/2021/2016/F. was approved in Jan 16th 2024 planning meeting Sirroco waterside quays officeOffice58.313Approved 2020 Planning ref: LA04/2018/0448/F.The ResidenceResidential57.519Approved in November 2020 planning meeting. Site has been put up for sale in 2021. Planning ref:LA04/2019/2387/F.Lanyon View Dalton streetResidential56.717Approved 2019 and again in 2021 after dispute. Planning ref: LA04/2018/2649/F.Belfast Harbour 480 mW gas power stationPower station54.2N/AApproved 2019 Not a 'habitable building' but a prominent structure. Planning ref: LA04/2017/0878/F.River WalkResidential5417Approved 2020 Planning ref: 2019/0517/F.81-87 Academy streetResidential5416Approved 2019 Land bought by Tribeca Developers 2021 Reapproved 24/11/2021. Planning ref: LA04/2019/2257/F. City Quays 5 Mixed Use 48.5 10 full planning submitted Dec 20 2023 Approved 27/06/2024 Bedford yardAparthotel4513Approved 2020 and again in 2021 after dispute. Planning ref: LA04/2020/0659/F.Dorchester House apart hotel4512 reclad change of use and two storey extension of existing office building. Approved 18/06/2024 /l
List of unbuilt buildings Table of tallest proposed buildings that never came to fruition, either due to planning permission or financial issues. +NameHeight (m)FloorsNotesAurora building10937 Site currently a petrol station, planning was refused mainly due to precarious financial state of developer and opposition to building height.Bedford Square phase 2 (original application)104.526 Gained planning approval in 2005 but plans were scaled down after property market crash in 2008. A 17 storey office is currently under construction on its proposed site.Belfast Vetro Hotel10026 54 Pilot Street97.530 Now 19 storey building proposed on same siteSirocco Quay9230 Had outline planning permission but was changed into a 17 storey office development city quays 3 which is currently under constructionQueen's Quay block E19230 Land bought by another developer creating their own masterplan.Royal Exchange Tower9126Now Tribeca masterplan with shorter buildings to protect listed buildings from being dominated,Odyssey quays tower8829 previous withdrawn proposal, there is currently a 28 storey tower proposed on the same site.Murray Tobacco works84.528 Majority of site was bought by Translink who are using it as part of a mixed use development around their transport hub called Weaver's Cross. There is preplanning discussions for a 17 floor residential tower in the remaining land.Midland Building7625 site is now student accommodationSt George's Gate7624 Application withdrawn, still seen as a development opportunity siteHope and History7021 Proposed in 2005, planning refused.Brunswick Street tower7017 Planning was approved, land is being used for Mcclintock street student accommodation and Maldron hotel, there is still unused land on the site. One Grosvenor Gate6216 new application for 800 student accom in.Bridge end towers6119 Application withdrawn, site still vacant. Titanic Quarter Financial campus 6012 was approved, but now site has a new proposal of purpose managed student accommodation (height as yet unknown from consultation but it did give the height of the older proposal in the info pack ) Bankmore Square5712 was approved, now being split into apartments and a slimmer office pans are in for both.
History of Belfast's tallest building