Trinity College Dublin & Book of Kells
Coláiste na Tríonóide
Ireland's oldest university, home to the Book of Kells, widely hailed as the most beautiful illuminated manuscript in the world, and the cinematic Long Room library.
Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I and is Ireland's oldest university. Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Jonathan Swift all studied here. The campus is in the city center, and visitors can wander its cobbled squares, clock tower, and 18th-century buildings for free.
The highlight is the Book of Kells Experience. The Book of Kells is a Latin manuscript of the four Gospels, made by Irish monks around 800 AD, famous for its intricate Celtic knotwork, animal motifs, and vivid colors. The exhibition hall displays two pages at a time.
Next is the Long Room of the Old Library, about 65 meters long. Under its soaring timber-vaulted ceiling once stood 200,000 old books. Marble busts of scholars line both sides, and the room also displays one of Ireland's oldest harps, the prototype of the Irish coat of arms.
The Old Library is currently undergoing a major conservation project, and books have been removed from the Long Room in batches, so the displays may differ from photos. Tickets cost about €21–26, and you must book a timed slot on the official website.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:30/09:30–17:00 (extended in summer; check official website)
Nearby sights
- Grafton Street
- National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
- Little Museum of Dublin
- Temple Bar
- Ha'penny Bridge
- GPO & O'Connell Street
- National Gallery of Ireland
- St Stephen's Green