Belfast prepares to mark 400th anniversary as a city

6 November 2009 -

Belfast has begun preparations to mark its 400th anniversary of becoming a city by hosting an event informing people about some of the key historical events in Northern Ireland's capital.

The newly refurbished City Hall hosted a symposium which was the first of many marking the historic occasion in the coming months.

Topics examined at the meeting included the signing of a charter by James I on April 1613, which is recognised as a key moment in the city's history and was discussed by Dr Audrey Horning, a reader in historical archaeology at the University of Leicester.

She explained: "As we look to the future, we also need to revisit what we think we know about the past. Anniversaries allow us to be open to those hidden or forgotten pasts and to reconsider their meaning."

The City Hall recently underwent a £11 million renovation which has seen the building restored to its former glory as a place where some of the high-profile exhibitions in Northern Ireland's capital can be held.