Showing 1-13 of 13 results
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Armagh County Museum
The east side of the Mall is lined with handsome Georgian terraces. Local man Francis Johnston, who later became one of Ireland's most famous architects, created Charlemont Place (as well as the courthouse). His other creation is the portico fronting Armagh County Museum. The museum displays prehistoric axe heads, items found in bogs, corn dollies and straw-boy outfits, and military costumes and equipment. Don't miss the gruesome cast-iron skull that once graced the top of the Armagh gallows.
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Armagh Gaol
At the southern end of the Mall, directly opposite the courthouse, is the forbidding Armagh Gaol. Built in 1780 to the design of Thomas Cooley, it remained in use until 1988.
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Armagh Planetarium
The Armagh Observatory was founded by Archbishop Robinson in 1790 and is still Ireland's leading astronomical research institute. Aimed mainly at educating young people, the nearby Armagh Planetarium has an interactive exhibition on space exploration, and a digital theatre that screens a range of spectacular half-hour shows on its domed ceiling (check website for show times).
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Armagh Public Library
The Greek inscription above the main entrance to Armagh Public Library, founded in 1771 by Archbishop Robinson, means 'the medicine shop of the soul'. Step inside and you'd swear that the archbishop had just swept out of the door leaving you to browse among his personal collection of 17th- and 18th-century books, maps and engravings.
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Courthouse
At the Mall's northern end stands the Courthouse, rebuilt after being destroyed by a huge IRA bomb in 1993. It originally dates from 1809, designed by local man Francis Johnston, who later became one of Ireland's most famous architects.
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Navan Centre
The Navan Centre has exhibitions placing the Navan fort in its historical context, and a re-creation of an Iron Age settlement.
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Navan Fort
Perched atop a drumlin a little over 3km west of Armagh is Navan Fort, the most important archaeological site in Ulster. It was probably a prehistoric provincial capital and ritual site, on a par with Tara in County Meath.
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Palace Stables Heritage Centre
The Primate's Palace, overlooking the ruins of a 13th-century Franciscan friary on the southern edge of town, was built for Archbishop Robinson when he was appointed primate of Ireland in 1769. The bishop's stables are now home to the Palace Stables Heritage Centre, a set of tableaux staffed by costumed guides illustrating how the archbishop's guests were entertained in the 18th century.
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Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum
The Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum tells the story of the 'Eagle Takers', the first regiment to capture one of Bonaparte's imperial eagle standards in 1811.
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St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral
The city's Anglican cathedral occupies the site of St Patrick's original stone church. The present cathedral's ground plan is 13th century but the building itself is a Gothic restoration dating from 1834 to 1840. A stone slab on the exterior wall of the north transept marks the burial place of Brian Ború, the High King of Ireland, who died near Dublin during the last great battle against the Vikings in 1014.
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St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral
The other St Patrick's Cathedral was built between 1838 and 1873 in Gothic Revival style with huge twin towers dominating the approach up flight after flight of steps. Inside it seems almost Byzantine, with every piece of wall and ceiling covered in brilliantly coloured mosaics. The sanctuary was modernised in 1981 and has a very distinctive tabernacle holder and crucifix that seem out of place among the mosaics and statues of the rest of the church.
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St Patrick's Trian
The old Presbyterian church behind the tourist office has been turned into a heritage centre and visitor complex known as St Patrick's Trian. There are three exhibitions: the Armagh Story explores the history of Armagh from pagan prehistory to the present day; Patrick's Testament takes an interactive look at the ancient Book of Armagh ; and for the kids there's the Land of Lilliput where Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput are recounted by a gigantic model of Jonathan Swift's famous creation.
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The Mall
The Mall, to the east of the town centre, was a venue for horse racing, cock fighting and bull baiting until the 18th century when Archbishop Robinson decided all that was a tad vulgar for a city of learning, and transformed it into an elegant Georgian park.
Showing 1-13 of 13 results
