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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Sarah Scott

Titanic Belfast: 10 facts about the ship as movie re-released for 25th anniversary

The record-breaking movie Titanic it set to be rereleased this weekend to mark the film's 25th anniversary.

People all over the world fell in love with Jack and Rose's love story, brought to life in James Cameron's 1997 movie, with the lead characters played by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Now you can fall in love all over again as the film is rereleased for the 25th anniversary, and just in time for Valentine's Day.

READ MORE: NI ice-cream store looking food tasters for new menu

Since Belfast played such a central role in the building of this famous ship, we asked Titanic Belfast to provide us with some little facts about the ship you may not know.

10 Things You Didn’t know about Titanic

1. Titanic’s design was conceived over a glass of wine and fine food. Lord Pirrie and J. Bruce Ismay decided speed would be balanced with quality of accommodation. It is rumoured that when Pirrie enquired as to the length of the ship, Ismay replied, glass of wine in hand, “build me a stable ship that will not disturb the sediment in these fine wines.”

2. Titanic (271m) was long enough to span three tempestuous Atlantic Ocean wave crests.

3. Due to the size of the Olympic-class ships, in which Titanic was one of three, the shipyard - Harland and Wolff in Belfast, had to prepare for two years to be able to build them.

4. At the time, Belfast was the fastest growing city in the British Empire, it was the linen and ropework capital, with the largest ship building firm in the world. Evidence of this can still be seen throughout the city today.

5. The ship had three wheels for steering.

6. Titanic’s funnels were wide enough to drive a train through!

7. Facilities on board included a gym, pool, Turkish bath, a kennel for first class dogs, and a squash court. The first class cabins on Titanic were the same standard as hotel cabins, while second class was as good as first class on other ships.

8. The famous staircase, which was among the most luxurious appointments on the ship, was inspired by the staircase at Belfast City Hall, which can still be visited today.

9. Titanic was stocked with literally tons of food and drink – including 40,000 eggs and 15,000 bottles of ale!

10. Titanic was launched in 62 seconds on 31st May 1911. The Olympic, and the tender ships - Nomadic and Traffic also left Belfast the same day, drawing over 100,000 spectators and journalists travelling from London and America.

You can learn more things you didn’t know about Titanic with a visit to Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest and most authentic Titanic visitor experience. Following a £4.5m investment, the reimagined Titanic Experience will relaunch on Saturday, March 4, introducing four new themed spaces!

Guests will delve deeper into a reflective journey of the hopes and dreams of those impacted by the iconic ship, giving them the chance to find out more about the lives and stories of the passengers who had dreams of starting a new life in America, as well as those who built the ship in Belfast and those who discovered her wreck.

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