When the Titanic set sail on April 10, 1912, it was a historic moment. It was one of the largest and most luxurious ships in the world, built by White Star Line, a British shipping company, and Harland and Wolff.
It was famously considered ‘unsinkable’ but just four days into its maiden voyage, it hit an iceberg estimated to measure between 200 and 400 feet wide.
While you may think you know everything there is to know about the Titanic from the 1997 romance/disaster film with the same name, there are plenty of interesting facts you have probably never heard until now.
One of the Four Funnels Was Fake
The Titanic was made with four funnels, three of which were connected to the coal-burning furnaces. However, the fourth funnel was added purely for aesthetics.
It was thought that adding a fourth funnel would add to the symmetry and make the ship look more beautiful as a result. It was mainly used as a ventilation shaft for the kitchens.
A Nearby Ship Missed the Titanic’s Distress Signals
When the Titanic began to let off flares as the fate of the ship became known at 12:45 AM, crew from a nearby ship, the Californian, woke up their captain to inform him of what they saw.
The captain did not issue any orders, and since their wireless operator was asleep, the distress signals from the Titanic were also missed until later in the morning.
By this time, another ship, the Carpathia, had already picked up the remaining survivors.
Many Passengers Remain Unknown
Of the 2208 passengers on board the Titanic, only 705 survived. Sadly, there are over one hundred passengers who remain unidentified since many people travel under false names and from many different places.
The Famous Violin Played as the Titanic Sank Has Been Found
As the Titanic sank, musician Wallace Hartley famously played ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee’ on a violin. This violin was thought to have been lost with the wreckage, but it was found in 2006 by a woman clearing out her attic.
Researchers took seven years to determine that the violin was the original instrument played by Hartley. It now belongs to a private owner who paid £900,000 for it at auction.
The Titanic Belfast Museum is Designed to Hold the Same Number of People as the Titanic
The Titanic Belfast Museum is located next to Hamilton Graving Dock and the Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices, which is where the
Titanic was designed, built, and launched. But did you know that the museum itself has been cleverly designed to have the same capacity as the Titanic, holding up to 3,547 people at any one time?
Once you have explored the museum, try taking a walking tour and discover where the Titanic was designed and launched, as well as the Titanic Dock and Pump House.
Once you have explored the museum, try taking a walking tour and discover where the Titanic was designed and launched, as well as the Titanic Dock and Pump House.
There are many more fascinating facts about the Titanic — this is just the tip of the iceberg…