Guildhall in Derry-Londonderry

One of them most recognizable landmarks here in Derry-Londonderry is the Guildhall. As we were ending our tour of the walls of Derry-Londonderry, I immediately took notice of this beautiful church looking structure. I immediately assumed it to be a church since it did look a lot like one. As it turned out, it wasn’t a church at all, it was the Guildhall. Currently, the Guildhall is the place there the town council meets, giving an indication of the importance of this structure. The Guildhall was formerly called the Victoria Hall, as she was the reigning Queen at that time. At this point in time, numerous places were named after Queen Victoria, a market, a square etc.

The current Guildhall apparently, wasn’t the first Guildhall. The original one was built inside the city walls but was destroyed by fire. After which it was rebuilt in the 1890s at its current location. It was subsequently damaged after several attacks and most recently in 1972 where it was a magnet for such disturbances. It has since been repaired and restored. Now, it is a center piece of a magnificent square named, you guessed it, Guildhall Square, which is the focus of numerous activities. Its location near the city walls makes it a natural tourist attraction.

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