Church sights in Dublin
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Christ Church Cathedral
Its hilltop location and eye-catching flying buttresses make this the most photogenic by far of Dublin's three cathedrals as well as one of the capital's most recognisable symbols.
It was founded in 1030 on what was then the southern edge of Dublin's Viking settlement. It was later smack in the middle of medieval Dublin: Dublin Castle, the Tholsel (Town Hall; demolished in 1809) and the original Four Courts (demolished in 1796) were all close by. Nearby, on Back Lane, is the only remaining guildhall in Dublin. The 1706 Tailors Hall was due for demolition in the 1960s, but survived to become the office of An Taisce (National Trust for Ireland).
The original wooden church in…
reviewed
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B
St Patrick's Cathedral
It was at this cathedral, reputedly, that St Paddy himself dunked the Irish heathens into the waters of a well, so the church that bears his name stands on one of the earliest Christian sites in the city and a pretty sacred piece of turf. Although there's been a church here since the 5th century, the present building dates from 1190 or 1225 (opinions differ) and it has been altered several times, most notably in 1864 when the flying buttresses were added, thanks to the neo-Gothic craze that swept the nation. St Patrick's Park, the expanse of green beside the cathedral, was a crowded slum until it was cleared and its residents evicted in the early 20th century.
Like Christ…
reviewed
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C
St Michan’s Church
Macabre remains are the main attraction at this church, which was founded by the Danes in 1096 and named after one of their saints. The oldest architectural feature is the 15th-century battlement tower; otherwise the church was rebuilt in the late 17th century, considerably restored in the early 19th century and again after the Civil War.
The interior of the church, which feels more like a courtroom, is worth a quick look as you wait for your guide. It contains an organ from 1724, which Handel may have played for the first-ever performance of his Messiah. The organ case is distinguished by the fine oak carving of 17 entwined musical instruments on its front. A skull on the…
reviewed
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D
St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral
Dublin’s most important Catholic church is not quite the showcase you’d expect. It’s in the wrong place for starters. This large neoclassical building, constructed from 1816 to 1825, was supposed to be on O’Connell St where the GPO now stands, but the local Protestant community – who pretty much ran the show back then – went nuts about the idea of it having such a prominent position. So it was built in a much less conspicuous side street, away from the main thoroughfare and smack in the middle of Monto, where purveyors of the world’s oldest profession plied their trade. In fact, it’s so cramped for space around here that you’d hardly notice the church’s six Doric columns,…
reviewed