Dublin Castle
- Address:Dame Street, Dublin
- Hours:Open Mon - Fri 10am - 4:45pm, Sat & Sun 2pm - 4:45pm
- Admission:Adults: €4.50
8:56 AM Saturday, May 26
Sunny. Cool.
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Dublin Castle has served many functions since it was built by King John of England in 1230. At that time, the castle was meant to act as a defense center against the current invaders, the Normans, and serve as the seat of the English government. Since then, Dublin Castle has also been the site of the royal mint, the police headquarters and the residence of various British leaders. Today, the castle grounds are used for some governmental purposes but are mostly only used for ceremonial purposes, such as the Irish President's inauguration, and to host conferences, like those of the European Council.
When no such event is occurring, Dublin Castle is open to the public. Guided tours take visitors through the grounds, sharing the history and ever-changing purpose of each building. Most notable is the story behind the Record Tower, the only remaining building from the original medieval structure that has miraculously survived centuries' worth of fires and warfare that ravaged the other buildings. Other noteworthy parts of Dublin Castle’s grounds include the State Apartments, Chester Beatty Library, and the Dubhlinn Gardens, which now grow over the spot where there was once a black pool, or "dubh linn", from which the city of Dublin gets its name.
Latest Reviews All Dublin Castle Reviews »
The tour was not as expected as the Queen was visiting the next day and both Trinity College and Dublin Castle were closed for security reasons. Our tour guide more than made up for these problems by amending the tour contents and provided a very entertaining and informative tour which was enjoyed by all of us.
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This tour was great, although it would have been even better had we been able to enter some of the buildings we stopped at, like Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, or Trinity College. Instead, we stood outside while the guide spoke. Also, when we first arrived along with another couple, the woman running the tour that day did not accept the Viator voucher and did not know of any affiliation. Later on she did receive confirmation that the vouchers were valid. Continue Reading »
You have to really like history in order to appreciate this tour. We were hoping to take a tour to get an introduction to the city and see some of the bigger sites. We did see them about 4 places total including the college, Christchurch, and Dublin Castle and at each place we were given about 20 minutes of history. If you like history then that's great, but if you tend to be bored by history then this probably is not the tour for you. I thought it went on a little long at times, and the tourguide was not terribly entertaining. Obviously the tour is called a "historical walking tour" - just be warned that that's what it is, more so than a way to get to know the city. Continue Reading »
Practical Info
The long and rich history behind this complex is enough reason to tour Dublin Castle. Even people who are not history buffs will find something of interest within the vast castle grounds. See the lavishly decorated private quarters and entertaining halls of the State Apartments, home to various Irish royalty and British leaders. Or visit the Chester Beatty Library, one of Dublin's best museums, which hosts an extensive collection of priceless artifacts from all over the world.
