The Guinness Brewery is like a Mecca
for beer lovers all over the world. The storehouse, which is located in an old
grain storehouse, contains not so much a museum but a multi media extravaganza
with high tech audio and visual displays that tell the story of Guinness. Not
only the history of one of the most famous beers in the world is related, but
how it is brewed and the unique role it had played in Irish history and
economic life. The tour ends at the top floor at the Gravity Bar, which has a
splendid view of Dublin, with a
complimentary pint.
Trinity College
Trinity College, Ireland’s
premier university, was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1st of England
as an effort to promote the Protestant religion in Ireland.
Catholics were only in theory permitted to enter in 1793, though the Catholic
Church banned the faithful from doing so until 1970. Women were only allowed in
since 1903.
Some of the most famous alumni include Edmund Burke, Wolfe
Tone, Douglas Hyde, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker and Oscar
Wilde. A walking tour of the campus will take one past statues of these famous
men, wonderful architecture, and works of art. The main attraction at Trinity
College, is the Book of Kells, an
illuminated manuscript of the Gospels dating from the ninth century and said to
be the oldest book in the world. It is on display in the library. Also on
display in the harp owned by Brian Baru, High King of Ireland in the 11th
Century and leader of the resistance against the Vikings.
Christ Church
Cathedral
Christchurch Cathedral is Dublin's
oldest landmarks, dating back to 1038. The Cathedral was founded by Sitrvic,
King of the Dublin Norsemen and Dunan, the very first Bishop of Dublin. The
stone church itself was built on the site of the original wooden Viking
Church under the auspices of the
Anglo-Norman conqueror Strongbow.
The Choir, built in 1480, was the venue for the very first
performance of Handel’s Messiah. The interior is beautifully decorated with
stained glass windows, mosaic tiles, and statues. The crypt, a forest of pillars that bear the
weight of the cathedral, is filled with artifacts. Also, don’t miss the Viking
exhibition across the street.