Dublin – the capital of Ireland

Dublin, the capital of Ireland is situated on one of the most beautiful locales of the world, commands the mesmerizing view of the legendary Wicklow Mountains and facing a broad sweeping bay of the Irish Sea.

The capital city has a population of a million people which is about a third of the total population of the country. Dublin is one of the well-known and amongst the oldest cities of Ireland whose origin can be traced to almost 1000 years ago. Dublin in Europe is synonymous with beauty, friendliness, culture and fun.

Dublin is a storehouse of interesting tourist attractions. The city’s antiquity can be studies from various historically significant sites and buildings. The most important among all is the Custom House constructed around 1781-91 to replace an older building on Essex Quay. One of Dublin's most magnificent buildings, It was designed by James Gandon to be looked at from all angles and is rich in structural detail. The 14 keystone heads on the building represent the 13 Irish Rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, the cornerstones of Irish trade. The magnificent original interior was completely destroyed in 1921 when it was attacked by the IRA during the War of Independence. Presently, it houses the Department of the Environment.

The General Post Office (GPO) is the prime building on O'Connell Street, the main street of Dublin. It is the headquarters of ‘An Post’, the Irish postal service. Built in 1815-18, it is one of the last Georgian buildings built in the city. The conspicuous features being the huge portico with six columns, which is surmounted by three figures, Mercury, Hibernia and Fidelity. The GPO was the headquarters of the 1916 Rising and was destroyed from shelling. It was rebuilt only in 1925, when the Irish Free State was set up. Today, the GPO operates as a post office and is ornamented with paintings of the 1916 Rising. There is a plaque of the 'The Proclamation of the Irish Republic', which hangs on the wall and by a statue of the Legendary Celtic Warrior, Cuchulainn.

Built in 1786, The Four Courts contain the Supreme Court and the High Court of Ireland. It was designed by the architect James Gandon as a single quadrangle with four original courts, the King's Bench, Chancery, Exchequer and Common Pleas. Built originally as a records storage building, mid way through the construction it was decided to transfer the courts of law from St Michaels Hill. The building was severely damaged in 1922 during the Civil War and most of the documents of the Public Records Office were destroyed.

Built originally around 1204-68 on high ground amidst the rivers Liffey and Poddle by King John, Dublin Castle was a fortress perfect for administration and the defense of Dublin. also surrounded by high walls and a moat, the castle never withstood a major attack but witnessed minor battles in the Kildare Rebellion and the Easter Rising 1916. It was the centre for British rule until 1922 when it was handed over to the new Irish Free State. After a fire in 1684 the building was rebuilt with very little of the old medieval structure left.

The National Church of the Church of Ireland was originally built as a church in 1192 on the site where it was believed St. Patrick performed his first baptism in Ireland. It was elevated to a status of a cathedral in 1213. Most of the present building dates back to the 13^th and 14^th centuries, which fell into poor condition until the 19^th century. However, they were restored by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness. The renowned author, Jonathon Swift was dean here from 1713 to 1745.

Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the archdiocese of Dublin and Glendalough. Although the diocese is dated back to 1038 AD, the building was built in 1234 by the Anglo-Normans. Several additions were made to the building. It was also extensively restored in the 1870's. The cathedral, as the main church of the English empire in Ireland, was a very important building in the city. King Edward VI was crowned here apart from the lord deputies who took their oaths of office. Christ Church Cathedral is one of the most beautiful buildings in Dublin standing majestic on the hill enjoying the marvelous wood quay.

The Ha'penny bridge, one of the landmarks of Dublin, is a beautiful old Georgian pedestrian bridge built in the 18^th century across the River Liffey between O'Connell St and Capel St. The North side leads out onto Liffey St, while the South side leads out to the Temple Bar arch, which itself leads out to the Meeting Place Square in Temple Bar. Although the bridge was christened several times, this was the name given by the locals and eventually accepted as the official name. The story behind this name is that it used to cost one half penny to cross the bridge earlier.

St Stephens Green, incredible Georgian park in the centre of the city was built as a present to the people of the city by the Guinness family in the 19^th century. It is surrounded by St Stephens Sq, a square of old Georgian houses which overlook the park. The park is to this day, the main park in the city.

Trinity College, Dublin was the first university established in Ireland. Due to shortage of funds, it was established only in 1592 by both Dublin Corporation and the Archbishop. Although it was meant to provide education to the whole country, in reality it only imparted education to the protestant community. This was mainly because it was a protestant college and was modeled on Cambridge University. It was opened to Catholics only in 1793. Majority of the present buildings were built during the 1700 and 1800.

The Dublin Spire, or the 'Spike' as it commonly known as, is the latest addition to the Dublin skyline. It was commissioned to mark the millennium celebrations in the city, but was completed only in early 2003. It stands on the old site of Nelsons Pillar which was famously blown up by the IRA. The Spire is 120m tall and is the largest sculpture in the world. The plan is to make it the centre of the new O'Connell Street redevelopment, and making more into a boulevard style, a la Champes Elysee.

Guinness Storehouse is the right place to know all about the world famous beer. A humble beginning over 250 years ago ends in Gravity, the sky bar where you get a complimentary pint of Guinness along with a panoramic view of Dublin City. A fermentation plant at St. James's Gate Brewery has been transformed into a place where you can experience one of the world's best known brands. It is open from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm all through the week in a year while in July and August, it opens from 9.30 am to 9.00 pm. However, it is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day) and Good Friday.

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