when was the titanic
The Titanic was launched on 31 May 1911, and it sank during its maiden voyage on the night of 14–15 April 1912.
Quick Scoop
Key dates at a glance
- Launched (into the water): 31 May 1911 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
- Sea trials and preparation: early April 1912, when the ship was tested and declared seaworthy.
- Maiden voyage departure: 10 April 1912 from Southampton, England, heading to New York City.
- Collision with iceberg: Late night of 14 April 1912 in the North Atlantic.
- Sinking completed: Early hours of 15 April 1912, with around 1,500 people losing their lives.
Mini timeline story
In 1907, the idea for a new class of giant luxury liners, including the Titanic, was conceived to compete for transatlantic prestige and passengers. Construction began in Belfast in 1909, and after two years of work her massive hull finally slid into the water on 31 May 1911, watched by tens of thousands of spectators.
Over the following months, workers fitted out the interiors, installed machinery, and refined details, while delays caused by repairs to her sister ship Olympic pushed back Titanic’s first voyage. In April 1912, after sea trials confirmed she was ready, Titanic set off on her maiden voyage, a symbol of early 20th‑century confidence in technology and luxury travel.
Just four days into that journey, she struck an iceberg late on 14 April 1912 and sank within a few hours, turning what had been marketed as “practically unsinkable” into one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. The story has remained in public memory for over a century, inspiring books, documentaries, and films that keep people asking questions like “when was the Titanic?” to this day.
Simple HTML fact table
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Keel laid (start of build) | 31 March 1909 | Construction begins at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast. | [5]
| Launch (hull into water) | 31 May 1911 | Hull launched and towed for fitting out; over 100,000 spectators present. | [3][9][5]
| Sea trials | Early April 1912 | Ship tested and declared seaworthy before entering service. | [7][5]
| Maiden voyage departure | 10 April 1912 | Leaves Southampton for New York, via Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh). | [7][5]
| Hits iceberg | Night of 14 April 1912 | Strikes iceberg in the North Atlantic during maiden voyage. | [10][7]
| Sinks | Early 15 April 1912 | Breaks apart and sinks; about 1,500 people die. | [6][10][7]
Forum-style angle and “latest news”
On history forums, people still debate details like how fast the ship was going, how many lifeboats could realistically have been filled, and whether the tragedy could have been avoided with different iceberg warnings.
In recent years, “latest news” around Titanic tends to focus on expeditions to the wreck site, conservation of recovered artifacts, and ethical debates about tourism and submersible visits rather than new facts about the original sinking dates. Occasional documentaries and anniversaries (like the 110th in 2022 and upcoming 120th in the early 2030s) also keep the topic trending in media and online discussions.
Quick TL;DR
- Launched: 31 May 1911.
- Sank: Night of 14–15 April 1912 on her very first voyage.
Is your main interest the construction and launch date, or the sinking and what happened that night?
