Even prior to incorporation as a city in 1888, Belfast was the cultural and political center of Ulster, or Northern Ireland. The population later exploded due to the linen, rope making, and shipping industries. The city also helped usher in Northern Ireland's Industrial Revolution and was considered one of Europe's leading ship building cities. Belfast has the world's largest dry dock, and the ill-fated Titanic was constructed here. The 19th-20th centuries saw unique architectural development, and the elaborate stone heads upon the ledges of several historic buildings mark the amalgamation of Victorian and Edwardian schools. Also, several bridges, buildings, streets, and a university are named in honor of Queen Victoria, who visited in 1849. Belfast's rather tempestuous past and political tension is disconcerting. However, it is offset by the city's eagerness to move forward, which is exemplified in the conversion of the Donegall Place waterfront area into a premier shopping zone.
