09/11/2026
Christ Church Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is the older of Dublin’s two medieval cathedrals. It stands on a small hill in the heart of the old Viking and medieval city, close to the River Liffey. The first church was built around 1030 by the Viking king Sitric Silkbeard. In the 1180s the Normans, led by Strongbow, rebuilt it in stone, and the nave was added in the 13th century. In 1562 part of the building collapsed, and for a long time the cathedral was in poor condition. Between 1871 and 1878 the architect George Edmund Street restored and partly rebuilt it, paid for by the whiskey maker Henry Roe. Today it is the cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin.
What to See
Inside, look at the high Gothic nave and the beautiful medieval and Victorian floor tiles. The north wall of the nave still leans a little since the collapse in 1562. In the nave you will find the tomb of Strongbow, the Norman knight who came to Ireland in 1170. Under the church lies the crypt from the 1170s. At more than 63 metres long, it is the largest cathedral crypt in Britain and Ireland. Here you can see old statues, a set of wooden stocks from 1670, church treasures and costumes from the TV series The Tudors. The most famous objects are “the Cat and the Rat”, two mummified animals found inside an organ pipe. From the west side of the cathedral, a covered stone bridge leads to the old Synod Hall, which is now home to Dublinia, a museum about Viking and medieval Dublin. The cathedral also has a ring of 19 bells for change ringing, the largest number in the world.
How to Get There and Practical Information
The cathedral is at Christchurch Place, at the end of Lord Edward Street, about a 10-minute walk from Temple Bar and Dublin Castle. Many city buses stop nearby, and the Luas tram stops at Four Courts and Jervis are a short walk away across the river. The cathedral is usually open from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00 and on Sunday afternoons, with longer hours in summer. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing. There is an entrance fee for sightseeing, which includes the crypt. You can also buy a combined ticket with Dublinia. During services the cathedral may be closed to visitors, so check the opening times on the official website before you go.
Weather in location: Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland
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