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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!
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.
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.
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.
3 years ago
We really enjoyed touring Dublin castle. There was a lot of artwork to look at and the castle is quite beautiful inside. We loved the throne room especially. You can sign up for a guided tour or just walk around at your own pace without a tent it and look around (which is what we did). There are gardens right beside the castle as well which are free to view and very nice. I would recommend adding this to your Dublin itinerary! read more
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
8 years ago
This is a beautiful estate, so intricately detailed and decorated. Classic architecture, beautiful vaulted ceilings, gorgeous crystal chandeliers, wonderful oil paintings all over, great detailed moulding and trim throughout the rooms. It's very stately. I could see myself living in a place like this. I would love any of the chandeliers in any of the rooms here or that long dining table too. I would recommend taking the tour, as I would have learned much more. I don't mind just looking around, but a bit more insight would have made the visit more meaningful. read more
Dublin Castle is gorgeous! It wasn't one of my must-sees during our trip to Dublin, but if you have some free time I highly recommend stopping by. When we went in November 2021, due to Covid, all guided-tours had been paused and only self-guided was offered. Because of that, the State Apartment tour was free, I believe they are charging for it now. The State Apartments were amazing, I loved looking at all the old artwork on the walls and the gorgeous detailing in all the rooms. My favorite room was St. Patrick's Hall- the ceiling is absolutely breathtaking. It didn't take us long to complete the tour, maybe about half-an-hour. I highly recommend taking the guided tour (if it's being offered), I heard they take you to other locations that you don't get to see on the self-guided. If you have a few extra minutes, check out the garden behind the Castle, it was so peaceful. read more
We had a young woman with blonde hair as our guide and she was super spunky and knowledgeable. Really loved her energy (a little fidgety with her wallow talkie but GREAT!) She took from from the old Celtic history to the powder tower attached to a castle to a fire to a rebuild to now. Loved getting to see all the layers of history. It's s beautiful building. Really neat to see in the inside of all the fancy dining rooms and such and hear the stories about the types of meals they would have eaten there. I highly suggest it! There are lockers for free there too so you can drop your bag and enjoy your tour without it read more
7 years ago
No doubt, you've read countless reviews about Dublin Castle already. If you've been to all of the major castles in the UK and Ireland, this one is fairly simple and not nearly the most impressive. It's definitely no Windsor. The dining room/Portrait Gallery and St. Patrick's Hall are stunning, the garden is charming, and that's about the extent of it. More importantly, if you're insistent on going, you need to know the best time. Mondays and Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. are virtually vacant, and you'll have an easy walk through the castle with stellar pictures devoid of humans. read more
Great tour destination! We don't have anything like this in my city im from back in California. Place doesn't look big but once inside it does show a little more of its size. Its a good value as far as price go although I was expecting to see a bit more. Still worth it though. read more
7 years ago
If you are visiting Dublin Castle I recommend doing a guided tour instead of a self-guided tour. We did self-guided due to time constraints. The light fixtures and ceilings in the rooms were so beautiful but it would have been cool to hear more about the history. Dublin Castle wouldn't be at the top of my list of things to do in Dublin but it was fun to see. read more
4 years ago
Beautiful piece of history. The guided tour was a must. Information was given by hat a self guided tour would not have been given. read more
2 years ago
Lots of history to see and experience here at the Dublin Castle and it was great to have a tour guide with us to point out the sights and explain things, or I'd have missed much. From the "Lady Injustice" atop the arch to the difference in stones in the Records Tower (the round one). Worth the stop on the tour and if you have time, get tickets for the inside tour too! read more
7 years ago
It's more of an estate than a true castle, but it was an interesting tour and we enjoyed hearing about the castle's history by Caoimhe, our guide. I don't know if this would fall under a 'must see' in Dublin, probably not. But it made for a pleasant afternoon. read more
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Dublin "Castle"...at first I was excited to visit a "castle", but when I was going through the rooms it never really felt like I was visiting an actual "castle". Its really felt more like Dublin "Mansion". Its not until you see the one single tower and outerwall section from the outside that it looks anything like a castle. I was originally going to give this 4 Star, but after visiting Blarney Castle and King John's Castle later in my trip, I realized how unexciting Dublin "Castle" actually is. Still, not a bad Dublin attraction for low 4.5 euro entry fee. read more
7 years ago
Dublin Castle has a unique place in the Republic of Ireland's history. From British rulers, to independence and now the anxious wait for Brexit. So much has happened on these grounds, so much is happening now, and it will be interesting to watch what happens here in the next few months. In fact, the world will be watching. Visiting Advice: Book a guided tour online well ahead of your visit. The guided tour takes you to many locations that a self-guided tour does not. read more
Absolutely gorgeous building. As a student it cost €8 and we got through the castle in about an hour or hour and a half. The various rooms were very fun to walk through and the paintings, decorations and architecture were all gorgeous. However the frames and the glare from glass put over the paintings made it hard to see the paintings without a glare or shadow. All together it was fantastic, but I would not put it on the "need" to see list for Dublin visitors. read more
What a lovely place! So much history from past to present! From the decor of the hallways, archways, jewelry, paintings, ceiling decor, furniture and so much more. This building has more of a city hall look to it then an actual castle so to speak. The tour includes a view of several rooms which included were famous jewelry, the dining room, ballroom, drawing room and the conference room. Pictures and notes that explain so much of the past and the conference room holds many of the most important and esteemed political events. The tour itself takes no more than a half hour. Back packs are not permitted but you can lock them up for free. The self tour is free with a Dublin pass and 4 euros with a guide. Need a snack? Eat at the cafe! Overall a nice place to go to and well worth a visit! read more
9 years ago
Actual rating 3.5. SIGNIFICANCE Dublin Castle is one of the most important sights in Irish history. From its inception in 1204 until 1922 it was the seat of English, and later British rule in Ireland. During the age of the Vikings the castle was built under a Viking settlement and was used to provide defense of the city, house prisoners as well as protection of the king's treasury. A major fire caused severe damage in 1604 leaving much of the original 13th century design in smoke. A grand renovation project introduced the State Apartments which served many purposes - it served as the residence of the Viceroy of Ireland (representative of the King of Britain) along with being the social stage of nobility. Young debutantes would be introduced by the viceroy as they are formally welcomed into aristocratic society and balls would be held to match debutantes to worthy partners. Six years after the 1916 Easter Rising Dublin Castle was handed over to the newly-formed Irish free state. To this day it serves a more practical function of being the site of the inauguration of the Irish president every seven years as well as a ceremonial role in hosting state banquets for foreign dignitaries. ADMISSION €7 - Self-guided tour for the State Apartments + exhibitions ONLY €10 - includes 70 minute guided tour of the State Apartments, the Viking Excavation and the Chapel Royal. I did the €10 guided tour and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. The Viking excavations of the defense bank and the Gun Powder Tower were remarkably different from the lavish State Apartments and give insight to Dublin the Viking settlement. You can literally smell the gunpowder from the tower as well as the algae from the River Poddle (still flowing today). Chapel Royal is a nice addition for the additional €3 if you like visiting churches in Europe. Apparently services were held in behalf of the viceroy and his honored guest. Though currently deconsecrated it currently serves as venue space for small events. Though my tour guide was a tad boring and could have presented the information a bit better I did enjoy her insight into the State Apartments. She did accomplish her main goal as a tour guide - summarize the functions of each of the main rooms. As I did little research on the most important Irish buildings in Dublin I got a lot more out of her explanations than if I had done the self-guide myself. I'd rank Dublin Castle on my top 10 tourist attractions to visit on your first visit to Dublin after Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College/Book of Kells, National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology and Kilmainham Gaol. To maximize your sightseeing I would combine Dublin Castle with Trinity College/Book of Kells and Christchurch Cathedral or St. Patrick's Cathederal as they are near each other. If you have more time check out the gardens in the back (gave inspiration to Dublin's Anglicized name) or Chester Beatty Library (one of the greatest private book collections in existence, https://www.yelp.com/biz/chester-beatty-library-dublin?hrid=Xj2fubn-IqrKk2258Jgadg) read more
We didn't actually get to go inside since it was the President's inauguration or some sort. Since us Americans were trying to save data charges, a map wasn't much use. We wandered around in the general vicinity of the "castle" until we saw this historical-looking building and though "ooh cool". Walking around reading the signs (and trying to interpret what the Italian tour group was saying), we realized this was the castle. (I mean sure, the history and the architecture themselves were interesting). With Fortitude and Justice, for all! (The statues of course) read more
Beautiful and historical place, it was under renovation like most buildings in Europe in the summer. Unfortunately it was closed so I was unable to see the inside. It is very close to temple bar so if you are staying in the area, I am recommending visiting this place. read more
11 years ago
Dublin Castle was very beautiful but what I thought was cool was the remaining sections from the original castle. It amazes me that structures built so long ago still stand today. The entire structure is not standing but bits of it remains. We also got to see the chapel which was featured in one of my favorite shows from before, The Tudors. In there, you'll also see an organ instrument that was given as a gift from Queen Victoria (i think..). When I went there, there were also beautiful sand sculptures in the outside area. The whole place was lovely. They also have free lockers to hold your bags in during the tour. read more
The guided tour was well worth the price. We used our Dublin pass for free admission and the tour. The guide was well informed and seemed to genuinely enjoy her job. She also had a humour that when interjected was appropriate and well timed. Her humor added to the tour not getting dry or boring. I believe that if you walk away from a tour with new knowledge then it was a good tour. The castle itself is well preserved and presents some awesome exhibits. I particularly enjoyed the Viking excavation site. read more
Dublin Castle is right in the heart of the city. There's a small portion of the building that looks like an old castle. Most of what we saw was 19th century. There's a lot of paintings and embellished interiors. The inauguration room for Ireland's president is neat. That was at the end of the tour. The feeling I got from this tour was that Irish debutantes would spend time in this building. They had debutante balls here. There's a depiction of them going up the entrance staircase in their fine dresses. There's a room where the women would sit and hang out while "men" were doing "business." There's a chapel you enter on tour that feels 500 years old, but the rest of it is more modern. read more
My friend and I came here expecting an actual castle (definitely didn't do our research first) and when we spoke to the security guard onsite who let us know that it wasn't really a castle we were pretty disappointed. The building is actually a city hall-type place and could only stay on the basement and first level. You can pay to see the estate and apartments, but we decided to stay on the first level and take pictures of the awesome statues and architecture of the domed hall. It is very nice if you have little bit of time to spare but don't want to do a full tour. read more
Ever wondered where the term "Wallflower" or "Loose Woman" came from? WELL! Come to the Dublin Castle to find out the origins of these words and much, much more! During our tour one of the first things the Guide stopped to explain was, "Why doesn't the Castle *look* Medieval?" Simple answer, it burned down. A long time ago a fire was started somewhere in the castle and unfortunately it found its way to the Powder Keg Room. BOOM! The Medieval castle of yonder was blown up. Oops. My favorite part of the tour was the elaborately decorated waiting area for young women who were soon to be debuted in front of the King or Viceroy! The room was large enough to accommodate their hoop skirts, the walls were adorned with floral wallpaper, and mirrors were strategically placed on the floor so that they could check their Petticoats before dashing off to the ball! This room is interesting for several reasons. Apparently, etiquette during those days involved waiting for Gentlemen to extend an invitation to the ball *after* their debut. Unfortunately, sometimes these lovely ladies would wait for HOURS as the Gentleman became inebriated at the ball and would often forget about them, hence the term "wall flowers" (derived from the floral patterned wallpaper that was in the waiting area.) And the mirrors to check if your petticoats were tightly into place? Well, if the petticoat became loose at the ball, for one reason or another, you were called a "loose woman." For shame. I love to find out origins of words like that! Dublin Castle is an interesting stop as well as an engrossing escape from the weather as erratic as a snow globe that plagues Ireland...Just make sure your Petticoat is in place. read more
Great experience! Even though it was pouring rain, we had a wonderful time touring the castle and grounds. The rain added to the impact of what it must have felt like living in a cold and damp place. At least they had refuge and safety. The historic aspects of this tour were very cool and enlightening to how life was lived in back in the day. A must see destination! read more
17 years ago
If you're expecting a kind of 'turrets and all' ancient ruin, you may be slightly disappointed with the exterior or Dublin Castle. But the palace-style building standing today is literally just scratching the surface of a site that has been at the epicentre of wealth and power in Dublin for centuries. The castle is still used as an official Government building so taking the guided tour is essential for access to the various rooms and their genuinely rich history, but in my opinion it's a few euros well spent. Your guide won't need to strive to name-drop dignitaries and events which have graced the castle walls and the tour concludes underground with an impressive look at some of the castles original stone features. The critical difference in a visit to Dublin Castle compared to some of the city's other tourist hotspots, is that cheesy Irishy-Irishness is confined to the gift shop and rarely sprinkled throughout the tour (apart from a few obligatory anecdotes, but sure we'll forgive that). This makes the visit palatable and interesting to tourists and natives alike... maybe even those from beyond The Pale. read more
There's a lot more history here than I realized. Take the tour - it's worth the 4.50 Euro ticket price. Our tour guide (Albert) was very knowledgeable and entertaining and presented the jewels of history to us in a way that roped me in without feeling I had to walk off and tune him out at any point. He's a great guide if you can secure him when visiting! The castle is lovely and still used for events with prominent figures (i.e. Queen Elizabeth's recent visit.) There's only one of the four towers still visible and standing; but, stay for the end of the tour to take a look at the underground ruins / remains. (Before you go, stop and enjoy a glass of wine at Chez Max which sits on a quiet lane at one of the gates. And, be sure you stop for another glass of wine afterward ;) read more
As long as your not being hauled in front of a tribunal, Dubin Castle is a great place to visit! With lots to see and do. You really don't get more historic and imposing then this and it really is the center of Dublin. Dating from the 1200's, most of todays castle is a collection of 18th century buildings, the exception being the record tower which dates from 1228. A trip into the upper yard is a must see for the castle in all its splendor. Theres a small charge of €4.50 for a guided tour, which includes the state apartments, or the chapel royal and the crypt if they're not available. If you don't want to do that i'd advise a walk around just to take in the history of the place. In addition to the main tour theres also the Garda (Police) museum and the revenue museum, possibly the most boring subject for a museum ever. Also a well stocked gift shop and a café and its well worth checking out the Chester Beatty Library and its gardens which are in the grounds of the castle. read more
14 years ago
Very interesting and informative tour. I liked that it did not cost a lot and that I got to learn so much about its history. The grounds are scenic, but I do feel kind of distracted by all the city centre that has grown up around it. Lots of flat buildings in the background kind of took away from it, but that certainly cannot be helped now can it? The gift shop was a bit pricey for items if you wanted to get anything. I just looked inside instead of actually getting anything like I wanted to. You can buy anything out of that gift shop at your pharmacy. Save yourself some euros like I did. read more
13 years ago
Went during a Bram Stoker's festival in late October and the castle was "haunted". Free and really nice production quality decorations/costumes! They had a giant skeleton at the entrance and these weird little demon guys running around inside scaring people as well as some ghostly looking people acting out scenes in a loop. There isn't anywhere to go besides that plaza though so the whole haunted castle exploration took maybe 10 minutes. read more
