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With so much of Belfast having been transformed in the past couple of decades, it can be hard to imagine what many of its streets and corners used to look like.

The old Cathedral quarter is probably still pretty fresh in most people’s memory, even with so many new bars and restaurants popping up.

And the same is true of the harbour zone where its legacy sits beside the dramatic modern architecture of the Titanic Centre, SSE Arena and bustling new business centre.

However, many of the city’s great historic streets and buildings have changed so much they are almost unrecognisable – or have simply disappeared completely.

So check out these great photos from our city’s past to see whether you’d know the same spots today…

The Ambassador cinema

Situated in the East, the historic shot, above, reminds us of a time when Belfast had 26 movie houses in its centre and suburbs.

The Ambassador was located on the corner of the Cregagh Road and Willowholme Parade and had an audience capacity of 1,030!

When it sadly closed in 1972, it became the city’s first Wyse Byse supermarket.

The Imperial Hotel

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

Pictured here in 1915, the Imperial occupied the corner of Donegall Place and Castle Lane.

The grand building was established by whiskey millionaire William J Jury, who lived at Brooklands off the Lisburn Road, and who would later establish further Jury's Hotels in Dublin and Cork.

Its ornate fishscale roof extended on to the pavement where it competed – as recalled by Old Belfast Photographs – with the Royal Avenue Hotel and the Grand Central further down the thoroughfare.

One hundred years and ALL the buildings in the original image have disappeared to be replaced by retail and office development from the 1970s.

Mullan’s Bookshop

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

This great photo from the 1950s shows excited young boys checking out the latest children’s books at Mullan’s on Donegall Place.

It was more of an institution than a book shop, supplying avid readers for decades before closing in the 1980s.

Fast-forward to today, and this iconic store is now a high-street shoe shop.

Royal Avenue

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

This is a great ‘moment in time’ captured in the 1960s as two fashionable ladies walk across Royal Avenue’s junction with Berry Street.

In the background is The Grand Central Hotel with its characteristic semi-circular canopy extending over the pavement where rich and famous guests would alight before entering through the huge revolving doors.

On the corner is one of four branches of Burton's in the city centre, and you might just be able to see the dark granite facade of the old GPO just beyond the hotel.

Almost 50 years later CastleCourt and its adjoining stores occupy this historic corner of the city.

Orphanage

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

A sad but important part of the city’s social fabric can be seen in this old image from the early 1900s.

This orphanage was funded by private subscription and occupied a former large private house on the corner of Great Victoria Street and Ventry Street.

This site is currently occupied by Fanum House – an 11-storey office block built in 1965 by the AA.

Currently it is lying empty as it waits to be redeveloped as a new hotel.

Cornmarket

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

Another great ‘then and now’ picture looks up Cornmarket from Arthur Square in the 1950s.

The modern shot shows that Robbs huge department store has gone – as well as the traffic and the trolley buses.

Most of the other buildings have survived, but all of the businesses that used to trade in this area in the 1950s have gone.

From left to right: Mooneys Bars, Robbs (in the distance), Burtons, Woolworths, Ulster Bank and Saxone Shoes.

Mooney’s

(Image: Old Belfast Photos)

Taking a closer look at Mooney’s, this photo dates back to May 26, 1938.

This was one of several branches of the company and each had an individual name - in this case Mooney's "Dublin House" and "XL Café and Restaurant" on the first floor.

These names were later dropped in the 1960s, when the business became known as Mooney's Bars and Silver Grill.

Today the corner on Arthur Square is occupied by retail stores and is just a short walk from the popular Victoria Square shopping mall.

Hopefully these great historic images – courtesy of Old Belfast Photographs – will make you take a second glance next time you pass these iconic spots.

As always, feel free to get in touch with us via the comment section below or send any of your own historic pictures to: photos@belfastlive.co.uk