History Tour: The Victorian Corridor at RVH EHOD 2026

The Victorian Corridor was at the heart of the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1903 until the modern 'Phase One' building opened a century later in 2003. Although the original 20 'Nightingale' wards were demolished to make way for modern expansion, the Victorian Corridor itself still stands and is used by hundreds of staff and service users every day.

Along its walls can be seen numerous heritage artefacts that provide a glimpse into the fascinating history of the Royal: from plaques memorialising the 'great and the good' of late Victorian Belfast, to historic archive photographs, drawings, sculptures and paintings. Key figures involved in the development of the hospital were drawn from Belfast's high society of the late Victorian era: shipbuilders, merchants, landowners and industrialists. But significantly, in an era before the NHS, the hospital also depended on many thousands of smaller contributions from ordinary people throughout the city.

Join us for this guided tour to explore the unique architectural and engineering history of the Royal, philanthropy across the social spectrum, and how pioneers of medicine responded to social conditions in Belfast through the turbulent 20th century.

This event is part of a series organised by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust for EHOD 2026.

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