From 1846 until its closure 150 years later, Crumlin Road Gaol (known as “The Crum”) was one of the most notorious prisons in Northern Ireland. Improbable though it sounds, the Crum is now used as a conference center and wedding venue (festive!), although the original structure has been excellently preserved. The building brings to mind the popular image of a Victorian-era prison, with its forbidding, fortresslike exterior and row upon row of cells. An informative 75-minute tour takes you around the building, filling in some fascinating details of what prison life was like. It would take a hard person indeed not to shudder as you walk down the claustrophobic underground tunnel connecting to the old courthouse across the street, or stand inside the condemned cell from which prisoners made their final journeys until 1961. Book online for ticket discounts.