St Patrick's Cathedral
Ardeaglais Phádraig
Ireland's largest church, said to be where Saint Patrick once baptized converts, and where Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, served as dean.
Ardeaglais Phádraig was built between 1191 and 1270. It is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland and the largest and tallest church in Ireland, with a spire 43 m high. Legend has it that Ireland's patron saint, Saint Patrick, baptized converts at a well nearby, and a memorial stone stands in the cathedral garden. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, served as dean from 1713 to 1745, and his grave and epitaph are inside. The interior holds medieval tombstones, knights' banners and stained-glass windows, along with the Door of Reconciliation, where in 1492 two rival families cut a hole in the door so they could reach through and shake hands. The English idiom 'chancing your arm' is said to come from this. Entry costs about €10. The choir's morning and evening prayer services are famous, and you can attend them free of charge. The adjoining St Patrick's Park to the north has lush lawns and a memorial wall for writers. It is about a five-minute walk from Ardeaglais Theampall Chríost, so the two can be visited together.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat approx. 09:30–17:00; Sun approx. 09:00–10:30, 12:30–14:30, 16:30–18:00
Nearby sights
- Christ Church Cathedral
- Chester Beatty
- Dublin Castle
- Jameson Distillery Bow St.
- Temple Bar
- Ha'penny Bridge
- Grafton Street
- St Stephen's Green