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    Tourist Attractions in Dublin

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Dublin. Photos and a brief description.

    Dublin
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    About Dublin

    Independent, rebellious and freedom-loving Dublin often welcomes guests with drizzling rains, winds and gloomy skies. But this does not lose the attractive power of this city, where the traditions of the ancient Celts and Gaels are still alive, where the pugnacious spirit of the Irish Republican Army still walks through the streets and the dashing battle cry “Erin Go Bragh” is not forgotten.

    Dublin was once an eternal thorn in the envious eye of the British Empire. For centuries, the city fought for independence and gave the prim English lords a lot of trouble. Now Dublin is a picturesque European capital, a symbol of a free Ireland and a place of attraction for tourists from all over the world. Here they celebrate the merry St. Patrick’s Day on a grand scale, proudly show the Beer Museum to foreigners and continue to hope to take away the rest of the country from greedy Englishmen.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Dublin

    Trinity College

    The ancient Dublin College, founded by Elizabeth I in 1592 and still successfully holds the brand of one of the best universities in Europe. It is put in the same line with Oxford and Cambridge. Trinity College has an invaluable library fund consisting of 4 million volumes. Among its famous graduates are the writer O. Wilde, the philosopher J. Berkeley and the mathematician W. Hamilton. The institution is open to tourists.

    Trinity College
    The Book of Kells

    The Book of Kells

    A unique manuscript created in the IX century, an invaluable work of art from the Early Middle Ages. The book is richly decorated with miniatures, patterns and Celtic ornaments. The priceless manuscript has been kept in the library of Trinity College since the XVII century. The book survived the devastating period of the Norman and Viking invasions of the British Isles and was carefully preserved throughout the Middle Ages in the Abbey of Kells.

    Dublin Castle

    The structure was erected in the XIII century, for almost 700 years until 1922, the residence of the English governors was located on its territory. Most of the buildings of the castle complex were built in the XVIII century, but still it retained the main features characteristic of Norman architecture – thick walls, powerful crenellated towers and lancet window openings. At the moment, the castle is open to the public, sometimes it is used to organize official receptions.

    Dublin Castle
    Grafton Street

    Grafton Street

    A pedestrian street located in the heart of the Irish capital. Grafton Street is the center of the tourist life of the city, there are many shops, drinking establishments, street musicians and actors constantly perform. There are many historic mansions on the street, including the house of the head of Trinity College. Grafton Street is one of the five most expensive streets in the world by the cost of renting and buying real estate.

    Temple Bar District

    An iconic urban area known for its large number of bars and restaurants. Local streets come to life after 18.00, as numerous streams of people rush here to have a glass or a glass after a hard day's work. On the territory of the district there is the oldest Irish pub "The Brazen Head", opened in 1198. In some establishments you can taste more than 600 varieties of beer brought from all over the world.

    Temple Bar District
    St. Patrick's Cathedral

    St. Patrick's Cathedral

    The first mention of the temple dates back to the XII century – to the moment when it acquired the status of a cathedral, but there is no reliable evidence of the time of construction of the building. In the XVI century, St. Patrick's Cathedral passed to the Anglican Church of Ireland, despite the discontent of Catholic parishioners. One of the deans of the temple bal J. Swift is a famous Irish writer. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the ceremony of knighthood of the Order of St. Patrick was held here.

    Cathedral of the Church of Christ

    The main cathedral of Dublin, built at the very beginning of the XI century. The original facade of the temple has survived to the present day, but the interior underwent significant changes during the restoration in the XIX century. That is why there are many details of the Victorian era in the interior decor. The church is jointly owned by the Catholic and Anglican Churches. Inside there is a particle of the relics of the patron saint of Dublin – Archbishop Lawrence O'Toole.

    Cathedral of the Church of Christ
    Guinness Beer Museum

    Guinness Beer Museum

    The museum is one of the most popular and visited tourist attractions in Dublin. The Guinness Brewery started its work in the middle of the XVIII century and since then has produced a myriad of liters of the drink. The Guinness brand has become recognizable and revered in all countries over time. The museum is located in a former fermentation shop, which was stopped in 1988. In order for the building not to stand idle in vain, it was decided to open an exhibition dedicated to the history of local beer.

    National Museum of Leprechauns

    Fabulous creatures leprechauns are a symbol of Ireland. Many times they became heroes of fairy tales, myths, folk legends. The leprechaun's most important passion is his pot of gold, with which he does not part for a second. As a tribute to these original characters, as well as for the development of traditional folklore, a museum dedicated to the world of Irish fairy tales was opened in Dublin in 2003.

    National Museum of Leprechauns
    National Museum of Ireland

    National Museum of Ireland

    The museum was founded in the XIX century. Its exposition tells about the ancient and rich history of Ireland. In the exhibition halls you can see weapons, ceramics, folk costumes, furniture, jewelry and other items belonging to different eras. There are also many exhibits of the Celtic period in the museum's collections – religious ornaments, crosses, various forged products with recognizable Celtic "ligature".

    National Gallery of Ireland

    An art gallery where works by Irish masters, as well as artists from Italy, Holland and other European countries are exhibited. The museum appeared in the middle of the XIX century. At first it was a modest collection of 125 canvases. By the end of the century, the exposition had grown due to donations and purchases of works of art by the gallery itself. The new building for the museum was built in the 60s of the XX century.

    National Gallery of Ireland
    Irish Museum of Modern Art

    Irish Museum of Modern Art

    The collection is located in the building of the former hospital of the XVII century. A few years after the restoration of the emergency building, it was decided to transfer the premises to the Museum of Modern Art. The gallery is relatively young – the collection began to be exhibited in 1991. For several years, the museum has gained respect and has been recognized as one of the leading in the territory of the British Isles.

    Abbey Theatre

    The first national stage of Ireland, which was opened in 1904. The troupe of the theater took an active part in the struggle for the independence of the country in the 20s. The historic building burned down in 1951, and a new one was built only in 1966. All this time, the actors were forced to wander to other venues. Since its foundation, the theater has been a fierce supporter of national art.

    Abbey Theatre
    Chester Beatty Library

    Chester Beatty Library

    A library and a museum in one place, where unique manuscripts from the period of Antiquity and the Middle Ages are stored. There are specimens that have been found in Egypt, in Asia and on European territory. Some exhibits are more than 2 thousand years old. The museum was founded in 1950 by a private individual – American entrepreneur and industrialist A.C. Beatty. Since 2002, the collection has been located on the territory of Dublin Castle.

    Kilmanham Prison

    A former prison that operated from the XVIII to XX centuries, now turned into a museum. Mainly, the fighters for the independence of Ireland served their sentences here. Until 1820, death sentences were carried out on the territory of the prison. Kilmanham was a mixed prison – women, men, and even children were kept here, since severe punishment was due even for a minor offense. The leaders of five Irish uprisings were imprisoned in this prison, and in 1924 it was closed by the decision of the newly independent government.

    Kilmanham Prison
    Dublin General Post Office

    Dublin General Post Office

    The historic head office of the Irish Post Office, located on O'Connell Street. In 1916, during the last (Easter) uprising, the headquarters of the revolutionaries were located here. After a part of Ireland achieved independence, a museum was opened in the main post office building, where the original Declaration of Independence was placed. Nowadays, the building is perceived as a symbol of Irish nationalism.

    The Dublin Needle

    A needle-shaped monument located on O'Connell Street, erected on the site of the blown-up monument to the British Admiral Nelson. The statue was destroyed in 1966 by members of the IRA terrorist organization. The Dublin Needle was built in 2003. It reaches a height of 121.2 meters, while the diameter of the base of the structure is 3 meters. The structure gradually narrows and ends with a spire.

    The Dublin Needle
    Croke Park

    Croke Park

    The sports arena, built in 1884 for the "Gaelic Games" — curling and Gaelic football competitions, but after a major reconstruction in 2004, it began to function as the main stadium of Dublin. Croke Park is designed for 82-83 thousand spectators. For a long time, the Gaelic Athletic Association, which owns the arena, banned its use for games of non-Irish origin, but in 2005 the rules were relaxed.

    Samuel Beckett Bridge

    Cable-stayed bridge of 2009, connecting the banks of the river Liffey. The structure is 128 meters long and 48 meters wide. Interestingly, the details of the bridge were assembled in Holland and transported to Ireland. The structure quickly became a popular attraction due to the elegance and similarity of appearance with the shape of the harp. Pedestrian and automobile traffic is open on the bridge, and work is also underway on laying tram tracks.

    Samuel Beckett Bridge
    Glasnevin Cemetery

    Glasnevin Cemetery

    The necropolis is located in the north of Dublin. It is known for being the first Catholic cemetery to be allowed to separate from a Protestant one. Now it has the status of a museum, and burials are no longer held on the territory. Many politicians of the past, fighters for the independence of the country, soldiers killed during the First World War, and ordinary people are buried in the Glasnevin cemetery.

    National Botanical Garden

    The history of the park has more than 200 years, the total area of plantings is small – only 25 hectares. The garden is famous, first of all, for its plant diversity, more than 20 thousand representatives of flora grow on its territory. Since Ireland does not have a particularly warm climate, many tropical species are located on the territory of indoor greenhouses. There is also an agricultural corner in the garden where pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage are grown.

    National Botanical Garden
    St. Stephen's Green Park

    St. Stephen's Green Park

    A large city park located in the central part of Dublin. Since the XVII century, this place has been adapted for walks of the urban aristocracy, but in 1880 the park was opened to the public with the participation of A. Guinness, co–owner of the famous brewery. Once Queen Victoria suggested to the townspeople to name the park in honor of her late husband Prince Albert, but the Dubliners angrily rejected this idea.

    Phoenix Park

    Phoenix Park is one of the largest green areas located within the city limits. In 1662, hunting grounds were organized here for the Duke of Ormond, the ruler of Ireland. Even earlier, these lands were owned by Kilmenham Abbey, but under Henry XVIII they were confiscated in favor of the crown. In 1745, the park was opened to the public with the assistance of the Earl of Chesterfield.

    Phoenix Park
    Dublin Zoo

    Dublin Zoo

    The city menagerie is located on the territory of Phoenix Park. In addition to the standard inhabitants, rare breeds of domestic animals, as well as representatives of endangered species live here in a special zone. Dublin Zoo was founded in 1830, and for the second century in a row it has been a popular place for excursions, recreation, communication with nature and acquaintance with amazing animals.

    St. Patrick's Day

    A bright, cheerful and colorful national holiday, which has been celebrated since the beginning of the XVII century annually on March 17. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland – St. Patrick, who lived in the IV-V centuries. On this day, the Irish wear green clothes, paint themselves in the colors of the national flag, arrange processions and parades. In the evening, everything ends with a merry drinking party. The official symbol of St. Patrick's Day is the clover shamrock.

    St. Patrick's Day