Christ Church Cathedral

Spectacular church! The Christ Church Cathedral makes a statement. You can't go to Dublin Ireland without seeing this beautiful cathedral. It's eye catching because of the gothic style and the architecture. It's a beautiful cathedral and pictures don't quite do it justice! It is a must see for sure. As many have stated, this cathedral has some history and has been around for a very long time.

Founded in the 11th century, improved and rebuilt over the centuries, this is the main church of Ireland's Archbishop of Dublin since the Irish Reformation in the 1500s. It is a beautiful cathedral and it is not free. Self-guided tours are €11 (though included with the Dublin Pass) and that's not an excessive fee considering that you can take as much time as you like to explore and wander the church. Lots to see including the oldest crypt in Britain and Ireland, the massive vaulted ceilings and access into the belfry. [Review 1829 of 2024 - 87 in Republic of Ireland - 22851 overall]

Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin was founded in 1030 by a Viking, Norse King Sitric Silkenbeard. It's also very beautiful and has its original floor. We gotta talk about the heart. St Laurence O'Toole's is the Patron Saint of Dublin. O'Toole died in northern France in 1180, but his heart was returned to Dublin and installed at the cathedral, where it remained for over 800 years. It was stolen in 2012 but was returned in 2018 intact. You can't make this s*** up. Please Google this. It's nuts.

For our September 2023 visit Religion and Ireland go hand in hand, making Christ Church Cathedral one of Dublin's most important cultural landmarks as the spiritual center of the city. People of all faith are welcome to roam its halls and explore its rich history as Dublin's oldest building through a detailed exhibition and journey through its medieval crypt. Check the church schedule and find out when Evensong is to watch Dublin's best church choir sing their hearts out - there's usually performances four times a week.

It's definitely an architectural masterpiece. The church is just as ornate on the outside as much it is on the inside. the vaulted ceiling's medieval tiled floors. I sat through mass... listening to the choir and organs ... was beautiful!! Strongbow's tomb is inside the church walls. You can also climb up to see the bells. I wouldn't pass on visiting here for sure, esp to the crypts to see the mummified cat and rat. It was mindful experience I think I stood by it for 20min while I million thoughts going through my head. It was just so symbolic I couldn't help thinking how we live as the cat chasing after life (the rat) only to end up suffocating till we die.

I didn't think I'd love touring a church as much as I did. The architecture was insanely cool and the glass windows were so beautiful. The audio tour was quite interesting as well and told so much of the history that had gone on in those walls. A definite visit for anyone into history and amazing architecture!

If you love architecture or are into history, you have to checkout Christ Church Cathedral. It's absolutely beautiful. We even got to sit in on a service and it was a nice experience. There's also a crypt in the basement that I found to be very cool.

Story... 7/10 Exhibits... 9/10 Price... 10/10 ***Part of GoCity Pass Attached to the Dublinia Museum, this has the ability to kill 2 birds with one stone, especially if you have the GoCity Pass. The exit of Dublinia is the entrance to the cathedral. Just walk inside and show your pass to the front desk. Expect to spend about 45 minutes here exploring the oldest cathedral in the city. My favorite part was being able to explore the crypts under the cathedral!

Very friendly staff, beautiful building inside and out with some fantastic stained glass windows and artifacts. Close to our hotel so we made it the first stop of the day, arrived a little before 10 am opening time, waited a few minutes and purchased a ticked, self guided audio tour the you can do on your phone. Crypts were very nice, a few more exhibits in the crypts along with the gift shop. Some costumes from The Tudors TV show that filmed here. Prices in the gift shop were reasonable, cashier was very friendly and asked everyone where they were from and gave a little fact about their state or country. Highly recommended if you are into old churches.

Interesting church with a lot of history. You can download the audio tour on your phone before entering the church. Once you get inside it's easy to get the impression that there is a fee to walk around. I fell into that trap and ended up paying for a second audio tour. Just download the free one and ignore the people at the door who try to get you to use their audio device.

This is gorgeous and historical. I think if you only have time to see one church it should be this one. It is incredible inside and downstairs there are really interesting things to see as well like a mummified cat and rat and early 16th century books.

Toured this amazing Church today! If you love churches and appreciate architecture, this is a must see in Dublin. It was a cloudy/sunny day so the lighting was perfect! The wet stones against the blue background was breathtaking!

Had costumes to try on 'n at. Gift shop is where it's at, right near Cat and Rat. Don't miss out on Cat and Rat!

We had the best tour with our guide Tom! He's so funny and kind and answered all of our questions. He gave us info you wouldn't get if you did a self guided tour. He was so much fun and we loved having your guide. For context I'm not religious and I still loved to learn all about this history!!! Would recommend!

Beautiful church. This church history's dates back to 1030. Cost of admission is €7, if you opt for the guided tour it's €11. Luckily when I visited it wasn't too busy. I spend quite a long time just looking at the architecture, the structure, the statues. However, it is one of the smaller churches. So I think you can see everything in about 30 minutes to an hour. The church has a lot of oddities. I think the biggest draw is the medieval crypt. One of the most peculiar display is a mummified cat and rat. Apparently, during a maintenance routine the remains of the cat and the rat were found inside the organ. It seems like the cat chased the rat and both got stuck in a pipe of an organ. Pretty interesting! 4 stars. Definitely check out this gorgeous church and its oddities if you're ever in Dublin.

Beautiful cathedral and worth a visit if you love churches, history, or stained glass. Dating back to the 12th Century, the building has been remodeled and expanded through the late 19th century. You can stroll through various chapels and see tombs here. Don't miss the crypt, which offers some lovely artifacts from the cathedral's history.

This enormous church clearly has a tremendous history. Founded around AD 1030, the earliest aspects of the modern structure date to the 1180s funded by famed nobleman Richard "Strongbow" de Clare (who was reputedly buried within). Most of the nave you now see was constructed in the 1230s with major additions in the 1350s. After being condemned during the 19th century, the cathedral was salvaged during its extensive remodel in the 1870s. The rebuild was orchestrated by the leading architect of the Victorian Gothic revival G.E. Street. He was simultaneously working on the modern-day Royal Courts of Justice building in London. The floor of the cathedral is most stunning and colorful! Perhaps owing to my somewhat childish humor, I was most captivated by the cat and the rat who were trapped in an organ pipe in the 1850s mid-pursuit! Having been extricated, they're mummified remains are on display.

While walking through Dublin we came upon this beautiful cathedral and decided to go inside. Some renovations were being done but you could still go inside. It is older than St. Patrick's. It was founded around 1028. As most cathedrals there are beautiful stained glass panels and a beautiful alter. You are able to wander through the church. It is a beautiful place to sit and reflect on what is happening in the world and in your life.

I loved this place. There's a senior discount if you're interested in that but even at regular price it's fabulous. Do go down to the crypt and see the treasures and the mummy cat and rat. Also there's a nice informative movie. Upstairs make sure to see Strongbow,'s grave. He's the Anglo Norman knight who took over parts of Ireland with his Welsh archers. They have lunch and evening concerts here. We had the good luck to go to an evening (Free!!!) Choral concert. It was magical. I was sitting just a few feet from Strongbow wondering what he'd make of the Central California choir.

The architecture and history here is amazing. This was my 2nd Cathedral in Dublin and the only thing I had to compare it to is St. Patrick's Cathedral down the road. This place has amazing gothic architecture on the outside. It cost 6 Euros for a self-guided tour. For comparison, it costs 5 Euros for a pint of Guinness. It did not take long to see, I was in and out in 30 minutes. One could spend hours here if they wanted to as there are so many things to read on the various sculptures, statues and memorials here. The stained glass has so much detail and the sculptures/statues are amazing. This cathedral has a bonus to it in the basement (crypt) has some exhibits with various relics, statues and sculptures. This was cool because although St. Patrick's overall was more impressive, it did not have access to the basement. St. Patrick's appears to be larger on the inside. It was awesome outside as well as inside and must have taken so much time and detailed work to get it to look as it does.

A beautiful church and a must see in Dublin! Breathe taking like the other cathedrals in Dublin. Slightly smaller than the St Patrick's cathedral but just as beautiful. The stained glass windows are exquisite with candles you can light around the whole church. Red velvet chairs lined the main aisle for a place to sit and dwell on the sights. A bible in the back you can read and flip through with chairs and knee pads to pray if you'd like. Would absolutely recommend! It's a easy quick stop and should take no more than twenty minutes to view.

Christ Church is the other Church of Ireland Cathedral in Dublin and seat of the Bishop of Dublin and Glendalough. Saint Patrick is Ireland's National Cathedral. Both it and Saint Patrick are breathtaking inside and exquisite, though Saint Patrick's is much larger. There is also a history that goes along with each. Christ Church was believed to be an original Viking settlement going back to 1028 and King Sitric Silkenbeardand. The Dublinia exhibit is located next door. We came here for the tour, after missing Evensong. Both Cathedrals offer it as part of their musical ministry and worship service. It you are unfamiliar, it is the singing of the evening service program and similar to Compline. The church choir sings many hymns, along with the Song of Simeon, or the "The Nunc Dimittis" from St Luke, see below from TEC's BCP: "Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen." Their crypt area is also amazing, which you should make time for only because of the their mummified cat and the rat exhibit. A side note, their is a history of the Jameson family being a major benefactor of Christ Church, while Saint Patrick Cathedral is more associated with the Guinness family. Enjoy!

Christ Church Cathedral is a great stop when exploring Dublin. This was included in our Dublin Pass; otherwise the entry fee would've been 6 euros. We did the self-guided tour, and the leaflet listing all the sights inside the cathedral was helpful. We had access to everything except the quire and chancel which were fenced off. Notable sights on the ground level were the Baptistery, prayer chapels and Strongbow's Tomb. Beneath the cathedral is a large crypt, the oldest structure in Dublin. Here you'll find manuscripts and artifacts dating centuries ago, and monuments paying tribute to people who were entombed here. Better make it out before the cathedral closes, or you'll be locked in here with the dead! Strictly speaking, there wasn't a whole lot to see. It probably would've been worth it to pay a few more euros for the guided tour to get a more in-depth history, but we were short on time and had many other places to visit. We did enjoy this place for its architectural beauty and for the history that we were able to read.

After seeing places like Canterbury and St Paul's, this cathedral was just okay. It was a cool surprise that "The Tudors" was filmed here--that show rocks. Instead of going to this cathedral, you should stay in and watch it.

If you visit Dublin you must ring the church bells at Christ Church Cathedral. It's an experience of a lifetime! Guided tours of the cathedral and belfry are available throughout the year. The cost is €6 to tour the cathedral and an additional €4 for a guided tour of the belfry. The €4 charge for the belfry tour is well worth it. Where else can you ring bells in a church that dates back over a thousand years? During the belfry tour you will have the opportunity to climb up to the bell tower and see one of the most spectacular views of Dublin. You will also learn about the history of ringers (campanologists) by a practicing ringer and teacher. At the end of the short history lesson visitors get the opportunity to ring the famous bells under expert supervision. This spectacular church dates back to 1038 and is in the heart of Dublin, nearby to several main tourist attractions. Highlights of Christ Church Cathedral include the medieval crypt (one of the largest crypts in Ireland), Strongbow's Tomb, mummified cat and rat "Tom & Jerry", the stained glass windows, the 45 foot tall grand organ, and the Tudors' Exhibition. For those that do not wish to ring the bells or tour the church there is an alternative way to enter the church for free. You can attend the weekly worship services or the weekly choir performances. Sung service times may vary so be sure to double check times with the church http://www.christchurchdublin.ie/Cathedral_Services/152

Tough giving a 1000 year building 3 stars--the building itself is beautiful, and touring around the outside may be quite enough for most. If we didn't have little kids, we'd have gone to the belfry to ring the bells. With that said, we did go inside, and there was no wait to tour the crypt. My six-year-old was fascinated by the mummy cat and rat. Totally. Fascinated. We walked upstairs and tried to guess which organ pipes they got stuck in. We talked a lot about mummies and are they real life. So actually, five years from now, what will he remember of Dublin? The mummy cat and rat, surely. There were also some creepy column monsters. Maybe I should give it 4 stars. If you are in Dublin for a short trip, I wouldn't say it is essential to enter. But if you have a kid curious about the morbid, it may be worth a quick trip.

The outside view was beautiful. I, especially, loved the sculpture of the homeless man on the bench. I personally feel that it hits you on the head with emotion. I loved looking at this from the outside. The inside was lovely with its beautiful arches, stained glass, and mosaic tiles on the floor. The crypt was my husband's favorite part. It had ancient books, silver pieces from prior leaders, and tombs. We didn't get to see many things as we were only briefly in Dublin, but I'm glad this was one of the places we went to.

Surprisingly, Christ Church Cathedral is not a Catholic church. I guess I automatically associate most cathedrals with Catholicism and given the history of Ireland, I didn't think twice about the potential origins until we read more into it. One of the most interesting aspects was the "competition" with St. Patrick's Cathedral and how each church was renovated with assistance from a couple of famous families (Guinness for St. Patrick's and Jameson for Christ Church). The church itself is beautiful. There is stained glass on every wall, a large organ, and a crypt underneath. I had been to other pretty churches before but this was the first crypt. It was interesting and as dungeon-y as you'd expect. 4 stars.

It was a very good, but changed to excellent experience when we had joined the guided tour. Our perspective became much deeper listening (guide was very entertaining) and learning about the historic fact related to the CCC. We highly recommend joining guided tour.

Beautiful ancient church with a lot of history. Wonderful top level with stained glass. Lower level crypt is interesting and holds many treasures. Definitely worth the time to stop and see.

A must-see destination while in Dublin. The grounds are compact, but, there is plenty to see of the ancient ruins around the building. The interior is well worth braving the crowds to see during the height of the tourist season. The stories that are contained in this place are a wonder. This a place to take your time and consider.

Lovely church in Dublin. It's quite amazing considering how old it is, but I was a little let down, as I was expecting something more like the cathedrals in London. We went in the afternoon and not much was on. The gift shop was closed and there were no tours, so we walked through without spending much time. Without a guide, there isn't a lot of information, so it would be helpful to read up a little before going.

The best part about Dublin are the people and bars, the churches struggle to match the rest of Europe. Christchurch is probably the best that Dublin has to offer, worth a visit.

Definitely lived up to the hype. I didn't realize (not that it matters) that Dublin's two major cathedrals were Church of Ireland and not Catholic. Go check out the crypts. It made me feel like I was in the crypts of Winterfell. Going on a GoT your tomorrow so there's that. Anyway, I enjoyed the costume exhibit from the Tudors. I still say Jonathan Rhys-Meyers wasn't right for the role of Henry VIII.

Its a cool cathedral, but no where near the likes of many in London! Its a once in a lifetime see. Do yourself a favor and but the duel Christ Church Cathedral & Dublinia family pass for around $47 (US dollars).

What a breathtaking experience and a walk into the medieval history of Dublin! We had a group of nine and enjoyed wandering about the property on our own before taking the guided tour. Our guide was fabulous, quite knowledgeable, affable, and very entertaining. I hate myself for not remembering his name...so sorry. The place is well over 1,000 years old. Yes....incredible. We were not rushed at all as we made our way through the church belonging to the Church of Ireland. No, this is not a Catholic church even though the setup is similar with a large congregational setting in the back, the choir and rector in the middle, and the altar all the way up front. It's not overly ornate, but beautiful and classic in its simplicity. The most fascinating part is in the amazing history and stories attached to it. Strongbow's sarcophagus is in the church. To me, the most interesting part was the crypt that houses incredibly old relics, the mummification of a cat chasing a rat, a collection of costumes from The Tudors television show, and much, much more. Toward the end of the tour, we were taken on a climb up a very old, twisting stone staircase that took us out onto the roof of the church for a breathtaking view. This is not for the faint of heart, the claustrophobic, or for those not in good shape. It's a workout to get up there, but it's sooooooo worth it! Have your camera ready to snap lots of pictures. Then, you proceed over to the other side, up a few more stairs and into a small door (you feel like you're entering one of Willie Wonka's tricks) and into the room of the bell tower where you're allowed to ring the bell. This was totally cool! The guide fully explained everything and showed us how to do it. You think it's a piece of cake, but there is some skill to it. Back out across and we were done. What a beautiful experience with all the gothic architecture, the sculptures, statues, tapestries, the old-old pipe organ...everything. Be sure to pick up a souvenir at their gift shop, there are nice, clean bathrooms in the basement to use, and take lots of pictures. The outside is beautiful, too...be sure to visit nearby at night and get some really gothic photos of it lit up.

Even though I've lived in Dublin all my life I've never been here until we made it part of Culture Night 2015. Highlights of Christ Church. I mean never mind the building itself - that left me more than a little awestruck! Strongbow's tomb, the treasures in the crypt, the mummified Tom & Jerry (the cat and the rat that were trapped in an organ in the 1860s) and the Magna Carta 800 celebration. This should definitely be a must do for any tourists or even native Dubliners who have never been.

With over 1000 years of history, this beautiful cathedral is undergoing restoration. It's worth walking around the grounds even if you don't take the guided tour for a fee. We stayed in an apartment nearby and enjoyed listening to the cathedral bells. and watching the full moon rise behind the belfry​.

Highly recommend the guided tour! Full of history, although it isn't the biggest cathedral there's a lot to learn.

Surprisingly good visit. I want sure what to expect of this place. But my wife and I were nearby and decided to check it out. Lovely cathedral full of Dublin history. And there's an underground area that is absolutely great! I liked this cathedral because it was an affordable so with a big payoff, and it didn't take all day. Not crowded. Well maintained. Loved it. Definitely worth a visit if you can.

Well worth the 6 euro. Amazing architecture. The whole first floor has a crypt under it the largest church crypt in the world. The church is almost 1,000 years old and you can just feel the history. Many tv shows have had filming done here including, The Tudors, and Reign. The crypt contains the infamous naturally mummified cat and the rat which was absolutely fascinating. If you are on a time crunch and only want to see one church go here vs st. patricks although they are both amazing.

As Nate says this building truly is impressive from the outside, but it is also really cool on the inside too! There is a statue of Strongbow, not the cider maker but the hero, his tomb is thought to be here too! There is an iron heart shaped box which contains the heart of St Laurence O Toole and there is a really cool crypt with a mummified cat and mouse! Cool!! Plus the place itself is well old and original pieces can be seen dating back from the 12th Century. Also, if you can approach the building from the River Liffey do so as it is much more impressive from the back, which it is how it was originally intended to been seen. There is also a short video presentation about the history shown to visitors and it is still a fully working church so services are held. It is really worth going when there is a choral mass on and on the 4th Sunday of every month at 5pm there is mass in Irish! So if you are looking for something different and really Irish check that service. The Christ Church website is full of all really useful information so check it out!

This is the oldest building in all of Dublin and was at the center of the old medieval town. Remnants of the original foundation can still be found.

Another beautiful church that we went to in Ireland. I suggest leaving a generous amount of time as there is a lot to look and take in. It's not one of the churches that you rush through.

I was a bit surprised that I had to pay (4 Euros for students) to get into Christ Church Cathedral. Shouldn't places of worship be free? I had previously visited this church 6 years ago but I didn't remember anything about the experience. I was reluctant to pay again, afraid that it might not be worth it. Christ Church Cathedral isn't the most thrilling experience. If I have to compare it to other churches, I would rank the Duomo in Milan much higher. But Christ Church is educational: it's a great way to learn more about ancient Dublin and how the city evolved into what it is today. The crypt is definitely my favourite part of the tour. There are some beautiful statues and monuments that are wonderfully preserved. The mummified cat and rat are also morbidly intriguing.

First of all, Chris Church Cathedral is gorgeous and so full of history. They offer guided tours with very knowledgeable tour guides. Not only do you learn interesting tidbits about the church but you get the chance to climb up to the bell tower to catch breathtaking views of Dublin. You also get to ring the church bells (with supervision) and visit the crypt below the cathedral which is one of Ireland's oldest. And did I mention there is a cafe in the crypt that has decent food and a loo for your convenience.

Take the tour. We stumbled upon Christ Church Cathedral after breakfast right as the 11am tour was about to start. We paid the extra amount for the ~50 min tour and it was well worth it. I highly recommend. It was highlighted by ringing one of the 19 ivory bells in the church, getting a better understanding the church's place in Irish history, and seeing an early version of the Magna Carta! Our tour guide was very charismatic and made the whole tour a very pleasant surprise

I have to admit that, whilst I'm not religious myself, I love to visit old churches. The quietness and the gorgeous architecture make them well worth a visit. Christ Church is impressive on this front, but it has more hidden treasures as well. The cathedral building itself is gorgeous both outside and in. The stained glass windows are each works of art within themselves and the stone columns and arches are visually stunning. But my favourite part of the visit was when my friend and I descended the small, humble stone staircase down the the crypts underneath. Dimly lit, they have a wonderfully old world (or should that be olde worlde?) atmosphere. This was slightly spoiled by the fact that the crypts appear to have become somewhat of a storage space. There was a clothing rack complete with empty coathangers, and in another part of the crypt there were stacks of chairs. But aside from that, it was a wonderful little place. The crypts are scattered with some beautiful stone statues and a few interesting historical bits and pieces, including a mummified cat and mouse who they found in the organ - a.k.a the original Tom & Jerry. There is a separate section which at the time housed some quite spectacular silverware as part of an exhibition, but I'm not sure if this is a permanent attraction or whether it changes. In any case, be aware that once you go through the turnstile to that other section, you can't take photos or video. Thankfully, the rest of the church allows you to snap away to your heart's content. There is an entry fee of about 6 euros but it is worth the 'donation'.

I went to Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland on 5/12/2015 (12 of May 2015). It was my 1st time there. The present building is a blend of 12th and 13th century material with Victorian Gothic features from the extensive restoration of the 1870's. As a historian, I was interested in seeing Strongbow's Tomb. Strongbow captured Dublin in 1170 and was buried in the cathedral in 1176. Plus, I took photos.