Hotels near Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle has stood on this site since 1204 and was the seat of British rule in Ireland for over 700 years, until the formal handover to Michael Collins in 1922. Today it functions as a major government complex used for state receptions and presidential inaugurations, but most of the State Apartments, the medieval undercroft, and the Chapel Royal are open to the public.

A guided tour takes you through the gilded Throne Room, the Picture Gallery, and St Patrick's Hall, where Irish presidents are inaugurated. Below ground, the excavated Viking-era foundations and a section of the original moat give a tangible sense of Dublin's medieval origins. The Dubh Linn Garden behind the castle, planted on the site of the dark pool that gave Dublin its name, is a quiet break from the city's busier streets.

Pro Tip: Combine a Dublin Castle visit with the next-door Chester Beatty Library, one of the finest free museums in Europe, with a rooftop garden that gives a good south-facing view over the castle gardens.