It's not just the country's main post office, or an eye-catching neoclassical building: the General Post Office is at the heart of Ireland's struggle for independence. The GPO served as command HQ for the rebels during the 1916 Easter Rising and as a result has become the focal point for all kinds of protests, parades and remembrances, as well as home to an interactive visitor center.
The building – a neoclassical masterpiece designed by Francis Johnston in 1818 – was burnt out in the siege that resulted from the Rising, but that wasn't the end of it. There was bitter fighting in and around the GPO during the Civil War of 1922; you can still see the pockmarks of the struggle in the Doric columns. Since its reopening in 1929 it has lived through quieter times, although its role in Irish history is commemorated inside the visitor center.
As a result, the GPO has become the focal point for all kinds of protests, parades and remembrances; it's also home to an interactive visitor center: GPO Witness History. This wonderful GPO Museum (gpomuseum.ie; adult/child €15/7.50) serves as a fitting tribute to the 1916 Easter Rising and its key role in the creation of the Irish state. Interactive and full of touchscreens, the exhibit explores all facets of the Rising, from its origins to its aftermath. If you see only one thing, watch the melodramatic film that recounts the events of Easter Week 1916.
