The Obel Tower The Obel Tower in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the current highest inhabited structure on the island of Ireland, standing at 85 meters (279 ft). Capital Dock in Dublin is the highest storey structure in the Republic of Ireland, standing at about 79 meters (259 ft). The two structures are connected by an elevator platform. When it was completed in 1864, the 13-story Obel Tower was the tallest building in Belfast. Today, it stands as one of the city's most important landmarks and has been called "the world's greatest clover leaf." The tower was built as part'to a plan for Belfast to become a major port. It included space for shops and offices, as well as residential apartments. The top floor served as a public viewing gallery where visitors could pay 3 pence (5 cent) to go up stairs inside the shaft that connects the two buildings. In January 2007, the top floor restaurant opened to the public for the first time since 1865. You can now climb 88 steps to the top of the tower for views across Belfast in all directions. The tower is made from rough-cut grey granite brought from South Antrim. Each block weighs approximately 20 tons and measures 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres by 6.5 metres (5 feet by 5 feet by 23 feet).