The Irish Times

The leaning tower of Pisa is not the only off-kilter structure to pose problems for modern architects. For the past 130 years, Belfast has been home to what is thought to be the continent's only leaning clock-tower, and recently the teetering timepiece has been receiving a £2 million facelift. The Albert Clock was erected in memory of the historic visit to the city by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, who sailed into Belfast docks, just a stroll from where the structure was built, in the mid1800s. The tower's famous lean - it is around 800 millimetres off-balance - has afforded it a unique place in the hearts of Belfast citizens since it was completed in 1870.