09 Jan Christ Church Cathedral , Dublin
Christ Chuch Cathedral is impressive and a must see attraction on any Ireland tours !!!!!
The first Christianized Danish king, Sitric, built a wooden church at this site in 1038. In 1171 the original simple foundation was extended into a cruciform and rebuilt in stone by Strongbow, a Norman baron and conqueror of Dublin for the English crown.
The present structure dates mainly from the 1870s, when a major restoration took place, making the cathedral look more Victorian than Anglo-Norman.
It was in this period that one of Dublin’s most charming structures was added: a Bridge of Sighs-like affair that connects the cathedral to the old Synod Hall, which now holds the Viking multi-media exhibition “Dublinia.”
Highlights of the interior include magnificent stonework and graceful pointed arches, with delicately chiseled supporting columns.
Remains from the 12th-century building include the north wall of the nave, the west bay of the choir, and the fine stonework of the transepts, with their pointed arches and supporting columns. Strongbow is buried in the cathedral beneath an impressive effigy.
The vast, sturdy crypt, with its 12th- and 13th-century vaults, is Dublin’s oldest surviving structure and the building’s most notable feature.
The Treasures of Christ Church exhibition in the crypt includes manuscripts, various historic artifacts, and the tabernacle used when James II worshipped here.
On your tours of Ireland be sure ti visit Christ Church Cathedral when in Dublin.
We at Ireland Luxury Tours have taken many clients and they have all been suitably impressed.