Founded around 1030 by the Hiberno-Norse king Sitric Silkenbeard and the first bishop of Dublin, Dunan, Christ Church Cathedral is the older of the city's two medieval cathedrals and among its oldest buildings. The original church, built on high ground overlooking the Viking settlement at Wood Quay, was a wooden structure that served as one of just two churches for the whole early city. In the 1170s, following the Anglo-Norman invasion, the cathedral was rebuilt in stone under the impetus of Richard de Clare, the Earl of Pembroke better known as Strongbow, whose tomb, or a later monument attributed to him, remains a focal point inside. The building was enlarged in the early thirteenth century using stone and craftsmen brought from the west of England. A partial collapse of the nave vaulting in 1562 left the cathedral in poor repair, and the north wall still leans noticeably out of true as a result. A major Victorian restoration in the 1870s, funded by the distiller Henry Roe, gave the cathedral much of its present appearance, including the tower, flying buttresses and the covered footbridge linking it to the former Synod Hall. The cathedral's vast medieval crypt, one of the largest in Britain and Ireland, is among its highlights, holding curiosities that include a mummified cat and rat found trapped in an organ pipe, alongside centuries of treasures and monuments. The nave above is admired for its mix of Gothic and Romanesque detail and its decorated floor tiles. Now a Church of Ireland cathedral in the Diocese of Dublin, the building has a long musical tradition and welcomes visitors throughout the year for tours, services and concerts. Combined tickets are often available with the neighbouring Dublinia exhibition, which explores the city's Viking and medieval past. Standing close to Dublin Castle and within easy walking distance of St Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church anchors the oldest quarter of the city. For visitors interested in the layers of Viking, Norman and Victorian Dublin, it offers nearly a thousand years of history in a single building. Admission charges help fund the cathedral's upkeep, and a self-guided audio tour and timed guided tours, including access to the belfry to try bell-ringing, are available through the day. The cathedral keeps regular service times alongside its tourist opening, so visitors may find choral evensong or an organ recital in progress. Its position at the top of the hill, with the medieval Synod Hall and the Dublinia exhibition linked by the famous covered bridge, makes it the natural starting point for a walk through the oldest streets of the city.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Christchurch Place, Dublin, Ireland

Telephone: +353 1 677 8099

Website: https://christchurchcathedral.ie

Opening Date: 01/01/1030