St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 
St. Patrick's Cathedral is said to stand where Patrick first made converts. For many more images, see our St. Patrick's Cathedral Photo Gallery.
Tower of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Nave looking east.
Choir with flags.
Bust of Jonathan Swift, author and dean of St. Patrick's.
Graves of Jonathan Swift and his beloved Stella.
A monument seems to make suggestions in the gift shop.
Handel's Messiah on display in a glass case. Photo
Joan Patrick.
St. Patrick's Cathedral is the largest church in Ireland. Unusually, Dublin has two cathedrals belonging to the Church of Ireland, which act effectively as co-cathedrals. The Archbishop of Dublin has his official seat in the other one, Christ Church Cathedral Dublin.
History
The site of St. Patrick's Cathedral is said to be the earliest Christian site in Ireland, where St. Patrick baptized converts.
A wooden St. Patrick's Church stood on the site from the 5th century to about 1191, when the church was raised to the status of cathedral. The present building, the largest church in Ireland, was built between 1191 and 1270.
However, because of a major rebuilding in the 1870s prompted by the belief that the cathedral was in imminent danger of collapse, much of the current building and decoration dates from the Victorian era.
Though the rebuild ensured the survival of the cathedral, a failure to preserve records of the rebuild means that little is known as to how much of the current building is genuinely medieval and how much is Victorian pastiche.
During his stay in Dublin, Oliver Cromwell stabled his horses in the nave of the cathedral. Throughout its long history the cathedral had contributed much to Irish life. The writer and satirist Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745. His grave and epitaph can be seen in the cathedral.
The Choir School was founded in 1432 and many of its members took part in the very first performance of Handel's Messiah in 1742. The composition is on display in a glass case in the cathedral.
From 1783 until 1871 the cathedral served as the Chapel of the Most Illustrious Order Saint Patrick, for the members of the Knights of St. Patrick. With the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871 the installation ceremony moved to St. Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle, but the heraldic banners of the knights at the time of the move still hang over the choir stalls to this day.
Today the cathedral is the location for a number of public national ceremonies. Ireland's Remembrance Day ceremonies, hosted by the Royal British Legion and attended by the President of Ireland, take place there every November.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | St. Patrick's Cathedral; Cathedral of St. Patrick; Irish: Árd Eaglais Naomh Pádraig; formally known as: The National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick |
| Location: | Dublin, Ireland |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Church of Ireland |
| Dedication: | St. Patrick |
| Category: | Cathedrals |
| Architecture: | Neo-Gothic |
| Date: | 1191-1270 |
| Features: | Famous Grave; Largest in the Country |
| Status: | active |
| Photo gallery: | St. Patrick's Cathedral Photo Gallery |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | 21-50 Patrick's Close, Dublin 8, Ireland |
| Coordinates: | 53.339522° N, 6.27167° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | 01/475-4817 |
| Website: | www.stpatrickscathedral.ie |
| E-mail: | Use contact form on official website above |
| Public transport: | Buses: 49, 49A, 50, 54A, 56A, 77 & 77A, 150, 151 |
| Facilities: | gift shop, toilets |
| Accessibility: | Wheelchair access by arrangement |
Travel Resources
- Dublin Map - our detailed interactive map of Dublin, plus hand-picked links to more
- Dublin Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Dublin Guided Tours - sightseeing tours and activities in Dublin
- Dublin Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Dublin Map.
Article Sources
- Personal visit (August 26, 2007).
- St. Patrick's Cathedral - official website
- Frommer's Ireland 2005
- E-mail from cathedral with updated visitor info (May 8, 2008).
Last updated on February 26, 2010.
