Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland and a popular tourist destination. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of famous and iconic buildings in Dublin that bring draw attention from the world. Some of them even date back over 500 years.
These are some of the meaningful and impressive buildings you can visit when exploring Dublin.
Most Famous Building In Dublin
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle is one of the most famous ancient buildings in Dublin. The old structure dates back over 600 years. After a massive fire that destroyed most of the structure, it was remodeled and its purpose was changed.
The grand and magnificent structure covering over 44,000 square meters sits in the city’s center. It can be seen close to other iconic buildings. Now a major tourist attraction of the city, it was formerly used as a prison, a treasure storehouse, and a court of law.
After being remodeled Dublin Castle is now used for state meetings. Standing in the heart of the country, it is one of the most important and impressive castles in Ireland and in Irish History.
The famous Dublin building still holds one of its first towers built centuries ago. There are also staterooms and a massive Chapel inside. These features make it one of the most popular tourist attractions and places to visit in Dublin.
Religious Buildings In Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral
The Christ Church Cathedral is the prevailing cathedral in the city of Dublin seconded by St Patrick’s Cathedral. It is also called the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
The major defining features that attract a lot of tourists include a century years old crypt, impressive architecture, and beautiful flooring. This building in Dublin is the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough.
The Christ Church Cathedral is one of the major pilgrimage places in the world. Having been around for close to a millennium, it has undergone several remodeling. Today, it’s one of the most visited tourist centers in the city.
This iconic building in Dublin holds a large number of events from normal services to priest’s ordinations. The Christ Church Cathedral is a very important building in Dublin.
>Check Tickets To Christ Church Cathedral
St Patrick’s Cathedral
St Patrick’s Cathedral is the second largest cathedral in Dublin, right behind Christ Church Cathedral in size.
This famous Dublin building was also founded almost a thousand years back. It is currently the Church of Ireland national Cathedral as it’s a Roman Catholic Church. St Patrick’s Cathedral is most famous for its choir which was founded more than a hundred years ago yet still stands today.
Along with the Christ Church Cathedral, it’s one of the buildings in Dublin that remains standing since ancient times. Since sermons are held every Sunday and also from Monday to Friday, it was supposed to be the major cathedral. However, that faced strong opposition from the Christ Church Cathedral.
Nonetheless, this is one of the major landmarks in Dublin and is a must-see for all visiting tourists.
>Check Tickets To St Patrick’s Cathedral
Historic Dublin Buildings
Four Courts
The Four Courts is the principal court In Dublin. It is the ultimate court covering the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, and the Dublin Circuit Court.
The Four Courts building in Dublin dates back over 200 years from its completion, although its construction started in the late 1700s. It is one of the city’s major historic sites that is still functional today.
The Four Courts derived its name from when it housed the four courts of Chancery in the 1800s. After a fire during a civil war where a lot of archives were burnt, it was remodeled to its current structure.
This is also one of the buildings in Dublin which offers a great view of the lake, bringing forth a calm and peaceful air. Along with its ancient architectural style, it’s one of Dublin’s main sights.
The Custom House
Built in 1791, the custom house is one of Dublin’s most important and oldest buildings. It enjoys a picturesque scene as it faces the River Liffey. At night this Dublin building looks even more exceptional.
The Customs House built over 200 years ago was burnt to the ground during the revolution and ancient records were lost. However, it was later remodeled to increase Irish resources.
There is an exhibition area that details how the building was remodeled. Currently, exhibitions are showing the numerous problems the Custom House faced years back. Perhaps the most defining of all is the exhibition depicting the fire which burned it to the ground.
Tourists are allowed to explore the grounds of the building and admire its beauty.
The Medieval Tower
One of Dublin’s oldest structures, the medieval tower was also built almost 1000 years ago. This famous building in Dublin is also one of its most important structures.
Like every other old structure, it has had several uses over the years. The Medieval Tower looks literally like something still in the ancient era. Its imposing structure made of stones is a very good tourist site.
The Dublin building looks like an ancient castle and at the same time has signs of modernization. The Medieval Tower was first designed for defensive purposes which explains its mighty structure. Later, it was used as a private residence for the Lord of Ireland, then as a garrison and a gathering for members of the court.
Kilkea Castle
Kilkea Castle has stood for over 500 years in Ireland. It was a medieval stronghold in ancient times. However, it is currently used as a hotel holding about 140 bedrooms. Guests can choose different types of rooms from castle bedrooms to lodge bedrooms.
You can reserve rooms for yourself and your family while enjoying the view in and from the castle. Features like free WiFi are made available in the rooms. Kilkea Castle is one of the iconic buildings in Dublin. The historic site grants you the feel of living in a castle with the convenience of modern times.
Trinity College Library
Trinity College is the top education institution in Ireland and features one of the best libraries in the country. The library was created when Trinity College was founded almost 500 years ago.
It offers all publishers a chance to deposit copies of their works for free. Due to this, the number of books in this Dublin building is quite shocking. Wooden shelves line the hall reaching from the floor to the ceiling filled with books.
Tourists and citizens can come to the library to study and read books of any genre depending on their choice. More importantly, they are here to catch a glimpse of the original Book of Kells.
>Check Tours To Visit Library And Book Of Kells
Famous Buildings In Dublin
Kilmainham Gaol
This Dublin building was once a prison that held many inmates including Irish revolutionaries of the Easter Rising. They were later executed on orders of the United Kingdom. However, currently, Kilmainham Gaol is a museum managed by the Public Works Office of Ireland.
Inside the museum, you can find art pieces in the form of paintings and sculptures, as well as pieces of jewelry that belonged to prisoners. The famous building in Dublin is also considered to be the biggest unoccupied prison in Ireland.
There are tours you can take to learn more about Ireland’s history during the revolutionary period and Irish nationalism. You will also get to admire the art galleries and paintings on the way.
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the most prominent in Ireland. It is divided into three major aspects, which are: the national history and archaeological museum, the arts and historical museum, and the country museum.
The Dublin building has a massive structure and has information on various denominations. Inside the museum can be found an exhibition for archaeology, paleontology, arts and building, botany, zoology, and ethnic study.
Tourists can visit the museum for free but not every day, therefore be sure to check on the timings and schedule.
Built almost 200 years ago, the national museum of Ireland has undergone some remodeling and changes. The famous building in Dublin has evolved progressively over the years to its current state.
Busaras
Busaras is a Dublin bus station built almost 100 years back. It’s like the major bus service in the country that offers regional services and interstate services. You might find yourself making use of the Busaras service to travel across the country.
Despite its functional nature and purpose, it can also be a site of attraction on its own. The external structure of this Dublin building is quite magnificent, painted in white with glass windows lining the front. Although in the past, Busaras got quite the press attention from criticisms about the ugly interior of the building.
The station and building also have shops and stores available both within and nearby. You can reach out and get a snack or two while awaiting the departure of your bus.
Discovering Famous Buildings In Dublin
Dublin is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The capital city features a large number of attractions, buildings, statues and monuments. Most of Dublin’s buildings are quite old, some even reaching up to 500 years. However, this deep Irish history is one of the contributing factors to a fascinating trip for all visitors.
