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Recommended Reviews - Dublin Castle
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Dublin Castle is certainly a place to visit, whether it is taking a the full paid tour throughout the grounds or just wandering around outside and in the courtyard, either is an experience worth adding to your itinerary when visiting Dublin! We hadn't officially had Dublin Castle on our list, but wandering the streets of Dublin City Centre, we couldn't ignore the wonderful architecture, statues and open gates. The courtyard itself, which is free to wander around when open, is a treat in itself. The cobblestone, archways, statues, surrounding buildings, etc...are visually stunning and tell a story on their own. To get a full tour of the inner buildings and to get a full experience, the tours are ticketed starting around 20 pound for self guided and they go up for guided. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Overall, really great spot to visit when in Dublin, especially if history and architecture are your thing!
I visited the Dublin Castle with a tour group, but we only had time to visit the grounds and didn't go inside. From the outside, it's a beautiful, ornate building that has an impressive presence. The grounds are also nicely maintained and have a respectful feeling about them. Next time, I'm breaking off from the group and going in.
A nice short stop to check out the castle that was originally build in the 1200s as a fortress under the king of England, King John. I enjoyed the center courtyard since it just surrounded by the building and there is something about it that just quite unique. The architecture are great details artworks. Part of the castle was under construction when I was there so didn't quite see much but it was a lovely castle to checkout in the central of Dublin.
We used our Heritage Ireland card for a free guided tour. If you have the time then definitely plan ahead and take the guided tour since it will bring visitors to the Chapel Royal and the underground areas of the castle that were not part of the self guided tour. The underground portion of the tour brought us down to the original foundation of the city walls as well as the remains of the Powder Tower. It was dim, a little musty but something different to see. The Chapel Royal was a treat to see inside. Very ornate throughout with rich woodwork and stained glass windows. There was no interior stone used due to an issue with the foundation (?) so what looks like stone was only wood in disguise. The rest of the castle tour brought us together with the self guided tourists and more crowds. We went through all the rooms and ended up in St Patrick's Hall where they showed some of the robes and medals from the order of the knights of St Patrick. A free the tour ended we could go back and see more if we wanted to.
Honestly, I wouldn't put this attraction at the top of my priority list for Ireland. The castle was a little underwhelming and quite small (at least the portion that was opened to the public). I paid €8 for the self guided tour, you are provided a pamphlet to help navigate you through the tour. Even though the state apartments were lack luster- I did enjoy reading about the history of each specific room. If you do decide to do this attraction, you really don't need to pay €30 for a traditional tour that is advertised on 3rd party websites. Just go buy your €8 ticket and do the self guided tour, I promise that will suffice!
I wasn't sure what to except with this one! I knew there was a Dublin castle, but hadn't heard much about it. Which I thought was odd. You hear more about Blarney castle and Rock of Cashel than you do about Dublin castle. We showed up past visiting hours. Not on purpose, we just had so much on the schedule that we wanted to see and Dublin castle got pushed to the back. Still cool seeing it from the outside and at night. I liked the green lighting it had! Very pretty.
I enjoyed my visit to the Dublin Castle. The state apartments were very interesting to see and learn about. If you're visiting Dublin I highly recommend coming here!
My rating reflects whether I wish I'd skipped Dublin Castle (yes) & whether I would recommend it to others (no.) The self-guided tour (€8 per person) took us about an hour, which fit into the amount of time we allocated for one last activity before heading to the airport on our last day in Dublin. You don't need much more time than that to see the State Apartments. Once the seat of Irish rule, Dublin Castle now serves as a venue for government functions. Compared to other castles I've toured, Dublin Castle is far less majestic. For instance, the Grand Staircase leading up to the Battleaxe Landing looks no more opulent than a suburban mini mansion's foyer. However, the painted ceiling in St. Patrick's Hall (formerly the ballroom) is worth a look, & the Drawing Room & Portrait Gallery have several chandeliers which I find quite beautiful. To reiterate, our limited time would have been better enjoyed simply sightseeing in one of Dublin's amazing neighborhoods. There are more interesting sights, but should you choose to visit Dublin Castle, at least it won't take up much of your time or Euros.
I really enjoyed walking around the Dublin Castle. This place is ginormous and has many rooms to check out. We're even granted entry to the room where they inaugurate the Irish presidents -- how cool is that? It's like going into the White House. There's so much history to this castle. My husband watched a movie about Irish history on our way to Ireland and said that the main foyer had a tonnnn of history and saw some scenes from the film there too. If you like getting a taste of history while in Ireland, this is def a place to check out.
Not the most majestic of 'castles' in Europe, but definitely a must see if you are in Dublin. I did a quick walkthrough on my self-guided tour. It was easy to navigate for a quick half hour visit. The surrounding grounds are beautiful so there were a ton of great photo opps. Don't skip the nearby gardens. Definitely worth a visit as well.
This is a quick and easy visit. Dublin Castle is also an architectural marvel from the early 13th century. It has had many roles from a medieval fortress to the seat of British rule in Ireland, and, now, it is a key government complex and tourist attraction. From 1204 until 1922 it was the seat and residence for the British monarch's Irish representative, the Viceroy of Ireland. It's beautiful.
This is a really nice little self guided castle tour in Dublin, and was worth the stop, at least for us. It's pretty small and was easy to navigate for a fast visit, which was all we had time for. While not an actual castle, it's a historical political site where a lot of royalty conducted business and now hosts the inauguration of the Irish presidents. The portraits of the presidents were a fun exhibit I enjoyed! The highlight for me was seeing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's portraits and the throne room where she performed her duties when visiting Ireland. The ornate entertainment hall is also quite pretty, and there's a really great collection of art in the castle as well. Overall, if you're already in Dublin looking at tourist stops, this makes a good quick walk through. If you're looking for a medieval castle, it's best you look pretty much everywhere else in Ireland
Historic political institution with self-guided tour. Purchased our tickets online in advance for a 10:30am entry but tickets were available for purchase there as well. They provide free lockers for you to place your items (as it did get rather warm in there with the heating). There's a brochure provided with information regarding each of the rooms you visit. The Gothic Room was closed to the public when we visited (as of January 2023). Note that it's not actually a castle, but still an important political building. There were two levels and a one way operating system. It was easy to access via public transport/walking if you're staying in the city.
Dublin Castle was originally built in the early 1200s as a medieval fortress under the instruction of King John of England. For centuries, it was the headquarters of English (and eventually British) rule in Ireland. In 1684, a large fire destroyed a large portion of the castle. Instead of matching the original Gothic style, most of it was rebuilt using a Georgian style, similar to what you'd find in the French Palace of Versailles! It's quite the contrast. When you visit Dublin Castle, you can choose to explore it in two ways: with a self-guided tour to the state apartments or with a scheduled guided tour that visits the Viking Excavation, the Chapel Royal, and the State Apartments. When you first enter the courtyard, you'll immediately see the newer Georgian architecture in the neat red brick buildings surrounding the square. From the 13th century to the early 20th century, the castle was under British control. It served from being a royal palace and parliament to a prison. Dublin Castle was eventually handed over to General Michael Collins on the 16th of January in 1922. Collins was a soldier and a politician who lead the Irish people through their fight for Independence Dublin Castle plays a huge role in Ireland's history and a walk around the grounds is time well spent. Today the castle is a government complex and tourist attraction. Stroll through the famous Chester Beatty Library if time permits read more
This city centre attraction was once a Viking fortress! Super popular tourist spot full of history. Lots of cool things to check out here like the gardens, record tower, and of course the apartments. Everything boasts a strong medieval vibe. We opted for a self-guided tour though guided tours are also available. Very interesting and worth a visit! read more
Nice stop for a fancy castle that doesn't take too long. Convenient free lockers upon entry. No lines & self guided. They did have audio tour I believe but we only had an hour to spare. Some cool history here w/ the monarchy here & some old pictures from centuries ago to compare. They could have a few more plaques with info in some of the empty rooms. read more
Dublin Castle is certainly a place to visit, whether it is taking a the full paid tour throughout the grounds or just wandering around outside and in the courtyard, either is an experience worth adding to your itinerary when visiting Dublin! We hadn't officially had Dublin Castle on our list, but wandering the streets of Dublin City Centre, we couldn't ignore the wonderful architecture, statues and open gates. The courtyard itself, which is free to wander around when open, is a treat in itself. The cobblestone, archways, statues, surrounding buildings, etc...are visually stunning and tell a story on their own. To get a full tour of the inner buildings and to get a full experience, the tours are ticketed starting around 20 pound for self guided and they go up for guided. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Overall, really great spot to visit when in Dublin, especially if history and architecture are your thing! read more
I visited the Dublin Castle with a tour group, but we only had time to visit the grounds and didn't go inside. From the outside, it's a beautiful, ornate building that has an impressive presence. The grounds are also nicely maintained and have a respectful feeling about them. Next time, I'm breaking off from the group and going in. read more
5 months ago
A nice short stop to check out the castle that was originally build in the 1200s as a fortress under the king of England, King John. I enjoyed the center courtyard since it just surrounded by the building and there is something about it that just quite unique. The architecture are great details artworks. Part of the castle was under construction when I was there so didn't quite see much but it was a lovely castle to checkout in the central of Dublin. read more
We used our Heritage Ireland card for a free guided tour. If you have the time then definitely plan ahead and take the guided tour since it will bring visitors to the Chapel Royal and the underground areas of the castle that were not part of the self guided tour. The underground portion of the tour brought us down to the original foundation of the city walls as well as the remains of the Powder Tower. It was dim, a little musty but something different to see. The Chapel Royal was a treat to see inside. Very ornate throughout with rich woodwork and stained glass windows. There was no interior stone used due to an issue with the foundation (?) so what looks like stone was only wood in disguise. The rest of the castle tour brought us together with the self guided tourists and more crowds. We went through all the rooms and ended up in St Patrick's Hall where they showed some of the robes and medals from the order of the knights of St Patrick. A free the tour ended we could go back and see more if we wanted to. read more
Honestly, I wouldn't put this attraction at the top of my priority list for Ireland. The castle was a little underwhelming and quite small (at least the portion that was opened to the public). I paid €8 for the self guided tour, you are provided a pamphlet to help navigate you through the tour. Even though the state apartments were lack luster- I did enjoy reading about the history of each specific room. If you do decide to do this attraction, you really don't need to pay €30 for a traditional tour that is advertised on 3rd party websites. Just go buy your €8 ticket and do the self guided tour, I promise that will suffice! read more
2 years ago
I wasn't sure what to except with this one! I knew there was a Dublin castle, but hadn't heard much about it. Which I thought was odd. You hear more about Blarney castle and Rock of Cashel than you do about Dublin castle. We showed up past visiting hours. Not on purpose, we just had so much on the schedule that we wanted to see and Dublin castle got pushed to the back. Still cool seeing it from the outside and at night. I liked the green lighting it had! Very pretty. read more
2 years ago
My rating reflects whether I wish I'd skipped Dublin Castle (yes) & whether I would recommend it to others (no.) The self-guided tour (€8 per person) took us about an hour, which fit into the amount of time we allocated for one last activity before heading to the airport on our last day in Dublin. You don't need much more time than that to see the State Apartments. Once the seat of Irish rule, Dublin Castle now serves as a venue for government functions. Compared to other castles I've toured, Dublin Castle is far less majestic. For instance, the Grand Staircase leading up to the Battleaxe Landing looks no more opulent than a suburban mini mansion's foyer. However, the painted ceiling in St. Patrick's Hall (formerly the ballroom) is worth a look, & the Drawing Room & Portrait Gallery have several chandeliers which I find quite beautiful. To reiterate, our limited time would have been better enjoyed simply sightseeing in one of Dublin's amazing neighborhoods. There are more interesting sights, but should you choose to visit Dublin Castle, at least it won't take up much of your time or Euros. read more
2 years ago
I really enjoyed walking around the Dublin Castle. This place is ginormous and has many rooms to check out. We're even granted entry to the room where they inaugurate the Irish presidents -- how cool is that? It's like going into the White House. There's so much history to this castle. My husband watched a movie about Irish history on our way to Ireland and said that the main foyer had a tonnnn of history and saw some scenes from the film there too. If you like getting a taste of history while in Ireland, this is def a place to check out. read more
3 years ago
Not the most majestic of 'castles' in Europe, but definitely a must see if you are in Dublin. I did a quick walkthrough on my self-guided tour. It was easy to navigate for a quick half hour visit. The surrounding grounds are beautiful so there were a ton of great photo opps. Don't skip the nearby gardens. Definitely worth a visit as well. read more
This is a quick and easy visit. Dublin Castle is also an architectural marvel from the early 13th century. It has had many roles from a medieval fortress to the seat of British rule in Ireland, and, now, it is a key government complex and tourist attraction. From 1204 until 1922 it was the seat and residence for the British monarch's Irish representative, the Viceroy of Ireland. It's beautiful. read more
3 years ago
This is a really nice little self guided castle tour in Dublin, and was worth the stop, at least for us. It's pretty small and was easy to navigate for a fast visit, which was all we had time for. While not an actual castle, it's a historical political site where a lot of royalty conducted business and now hosts the inauguration of the Irish presidents. The portraits of the presidents were a fun exhibit I enjoyed! The highlight for me was seeing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's portraits and the throne room where she performed her duties when visiting Ireland. The ornate entertainment hall is also quite pretty, and there's a really great collection of art in the castle as well. Overall, if you're already in Dublin looking at tourist stops, this makes a good quick walk through. If you're looking for a medieval castle, it's best you look pretty much everywhere else in Ireland read more
4 years ago
Historic political institution with self-guided tour. Purchased our tickets online in advance for a 10:30am entry but tickets were available for purchase there as well. They provide free lockers for you to place your items (as it did get rather warm in there with the heating). There's a brochure provided with information regarding each of the rooms you visit. The Gothic Room was closed to the public when we visited (as of January 2023). Note that it's not actually a castle, but still an important political building. There were two levels and a one way operating system. It was easy to access via public transport/walking if you're staying in the city. read more
On a visit to Dublin last week, my friend and I visited the Dublin Castle, which until 1922 was the seat of the British government's administration in Ireland (after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, the complex was handed over to the Provisional Government). My friend and I paid for a self-guided tour (you can follow along by audio guide on your phone or read along in the pamphlet book they give you when you enter). The highlight was definitely Saint Patrick's Hall, which has an incredible painted ceiling and was where the President of Ireland hosted a state dinner to welcome Queen Elizabeth II in 2011. If you don't have time for a tour, definitely still stop by for a picture of the yard of castle (which has some pretty stunning architecture)! Well worth a visit to learn about its importance in Irish history! read more
The grounds were beautiful and the brief self guided tour was quite nice. Unfortunately the pamphlet that accompanied the tour had mostly just the name of the subject and the artist. Others had a contextual explanation which was wonderful. Absolutely happy we engaged in the experience. read more
Dublin Castle is a great site to visit in Dublin, and they give a wonderful tour. The castle has been located here since the 13th century and is sited on a viking settlement. There exists only one tower from that original castle, as the building was destroyed earlier in its history and the castle rebuilt several centuries ago. Since I'm from the U.S., it's akin to the White House here. It's a working government building, and one of the places you may stop on the tour is the hall where the Irish parliament conducts their business. St. Patrick's Hall is where Irish leaders have been inaugurated since they gained independence in 1922. I visited over a decade ago, and hadn't realized how young the country was (administratively, of course). It's hard to believe that this year marks only 100 years of Ireland being an independent nation! Prior to Ireland's independence, this was a place where British royals would visit and stay when in the country; lots of history related to Queen Victoria is littered about the place. Perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, Bram Stoker (yep, of Dracula fame) worked here for over 10 years. The grounds are lovely, and the tour is worth it; it's quite extensive. Lots of walking so if that may be difficult for you, I'd inquire about any possible accommodations that might be made. I would say it should be on the list of sites for folks visiting the city, especially if you're a history buff. read more
If you go expecting a huge and grand medieval castle like I did, you will be disappointed. The place is actually fairly small and is better described as being a palace. The place mainly served as the home of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (the governor in charge of maintaining English rule in Ireland until 1922). Nowadays, it is most known for hosting the inauguration of the presidents of Ireland every year. As a tourist, the admission price allows you to walk around the grounds and see the State Apartments (bedrooms, dining room, etc.) that were formerly used by the Lord Lieutenant back in the day. You will also see a decent collection of art and paintings inside. The admission price is also cheap at only 8 euros. read more
This was my first time ever visiting a castle. As someone who's into shows and movies related to monarchies, royalty, and period pieces in general, it was really cool to visit a castle while in Dublin. It was absolutely beautiful in there. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see what it was like during those times. I recommend visiting while in Dublin. Your ticket to the castle also gives you access to the secret garden and art museum. read more
2 years ago
Wonderful experience, we choose the self guided tour, because we were short on time,.but I would go back another time to do a guided tour to get more of the background history. read more
3 years ago
We did the guided tour which included the underground plus the estate rooms. We learned so much about the history of Dublin and the property from our tour guide. It isn't a stroller friendly tour but they did store our buggy for us while we took it which was nice. It was worth the additional expense to see under the castle! I wish there was a way to reserve the tour online but instead we went earlier in the morning to book an afternoon tour then returned later that day. read more
4 years ago
As I was wandering around Dublin, I happened to pass the castle and decided to take a gander. There a couple of entrances to get in that lead you into a courtyard. To tour the castle itself there is an entrance fee. Prior to entering you place your belongings into a locker. Photography however is allowed. Like most castles, Dublin castle did not fall short of luxury and history. When you first start your self-guided tour there is a beautiful grand staircase with multiple works of art. Each room you entered was rich in history and had a story to tell. Overall, this was a pleasant visit and I enjoyed being able to tour it on my own. When you leave there is a garden at the back of the castle that is also quite lovely to take a walk through! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This stop is definitely worth eight euros. You get to see a glimpse into history and current events. They have the hall where current presidents of Ireland are sworn in, as well as beautiful rooms designed to show the history of the castle. The castle also features a huge collection of art. read more
3 years ago
My first castle experience. I learned so much and had a blast. Loved it here! Tour guide was awesome. read more
2 years ago
A great historical site to visit if you're in Dublin! Not only brimming with history, but the self guided tour does a good job conveying that history to you as you walk through the state apartments. Very beautiful and very reasonably priced. It also doesn't take super long to get through! Would absolutely recommend read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
Dublin Castle was also high on my list of "must do's" during our short stay in Dublin. (+) Only 8 euros for an adult admission! Less than $9 USD! That's pretty cheap for a castle! (+) Beautiful architecture and quite the collection of art and paintings inside! The ceiling of the Apollo room, the Throne room, and the Record Tower (which is the last remaining part of the original medieval castle built in 1228!) were all fantastic things to get to see! (+) the nearby gardens were absolutely stunning and a very serene and relaxing setting for the afternoon. (-) for a castle it is not very large at all. You could give yourself between 1 to 2 hours to see just about everything here and have time left over. (-) I was a little disappointed because I was expecting more of an old medieval castle and this is more like a palace / estate located within an old castle. Don't get me wrong, it's still very cool and I'm glad I got to visit the Dublin Castle, but I was expecting a bit more medieval than I got. Dublin Castle was a- okay. I would love to come back one day and explore some of these awesome Castles I see online about an hour outside of the city! I think that is more what I was hoping to see here. 3 stars. A-Ok. read more
2 years ago
I toured the Dublin Castle state apartments on September 30, 2021 when tourism was just coming back to Ireland. On one hand, I couldn't have chosen a better time to visit because I saw about 4 people total as I walked around. On the other hand, it's kinda creepy exploring a castle by yourself, Scoob. What I found interesting was that so many people walked up to the courtyard and viewed the sand sculptures that were on display, but they didn't appear to be going on the apartment tour. The tour itself is free until the end of 2021! You must sign up online. When I went inside, there was only one person at the front desk and she wasn't the friendliest or most helpful, but soon I was walking up the grand staircase where aristocracy, courtiers, and viceroys had once stepped. There is some good info online that explains each room open to the public, but in person there aren't as many explanations. I recommend reading the online tour info first before you walk through. It was incredible to walk around with virtually nobody there and contemplate what life must have been like for anyone who witnessed a coronation or inauguration here, or participated in any number of special events. It's also of interest to those who enjoy period dramas (this is the real thing, not a set!) and history. From the website: Over the centuries, those entertained at Dublin Castle have included Benjamin Franklin, the Duke of Wellington, Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, Princess Grace of Monaco, John F. Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, and Queen Elizabeth II. It's hard to wrap my head around the ceremonies, balls, presidential inaugurations, and other activities that have occurred here, especially as someone coming from a relatively new country. I took a star off because of lack of customer service, no docents, and no staff of any kind to answer questions or give tours. I only saw one lonely, grumpy guard making the rounds as I walked through. Still, it's worth a visit this time of year and I hope many people are able to take advantage of the free entry before year's end. read more
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