Cultural sightseeing in Ireland. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Ireland is one of the most popular countries for sightseeing tours. There is an unimaginable number of historical sights in the country. Its capital, Dublin, is one of the oldest cities in the world. Almost all counties of Ireland have preserved ancient castles. These are Klothen, Bunratty, Donsoghlai, Carrickfergus, Clonony, Blarney, and the rock castle of Cashel. Some of them turned into high-class hotels, which are very popular among tourists. Seats and castles of the Vikings are even more ancient. One of the cities built by the Vikings in the 10th century is Waterford. It is located in the south-eastern part of Ireland.

The main government building of the country is Dublin Castle. King John Lackland ordered to build it after the Norman attack. Nowadays, Dublin Castle is used for conferences and meetings of the first persons of states. If there is no governmental session in the castle, tourists are allowed to visit it. The heart of the county of Tipperary is the castle of Cair. The building is well preserved even though it was built in the 12th century. There is a museum, where you can see a very spectacular miniature, Taking the Castle of Cair. It consists of one thousand soldiers figurines. There are the library and museum of Chester Beatty, which shows thousands of manuscripts from different eras from around the world. Fragmentary manuscripts of the Qur'an of the 8th century are also displayed there.

The Castle of Cashel was the residence of the ruling family of Munster. It was built in the 4th century. A hundred years after its foundation, the legendary Saint Patrick preached there. During the Cromwell invasion, the castle became a symbol of the unconquerable will of the Irish. Now, you can see a lot of residential and office buildings in its place. Dublin can boast with the largest temple in all of Ireland, St. Patrick's Cathedral. One of the abbots of the cathedral was the famous creator of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift. The center of the Catholic and Anglican archbishops is the Cathedral of Christ. It was founded in 1031. This is an exceptional age for such a building. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The most beautiful Dublin botanical garden is located on 25 hectares. It is also called the Green Heart of Dublin because of its location in the very city center. There are more than 20 thousand various plants collected around the world. Bunratty Castle is a real treasure of Ireland and one of the main attractions of the country. Walls of the fortress have perfectly preserved. The environment of the 15th century survived there too. Dublin has several incredible museums, including the Guinness Storehouse, the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, the Museum of Dublin, and the National Leprechaun Museum. In the Museum of Dublin, guests of the country can plunge in the country's history. An acquaintance with the culture of brewing in Ireland is waiting in the Guinness Storehouse.

One of the most notable buildings is the residence of the Tudor family - Clonony Castle. A fifteen-meter tower surrounded by picturesque gardens and a moat is amazing. The castle retains military engineering elements, which include hinged loopholes, a spiral staircase, and a courtyard. In the 5th century, Saint Patrick had proselyted the Irish to Christianity. Since then, a huge number of abbeys have been built. The Mellifont Abbey is located by the Mattock River near the town of Drogheda. The famous Kell Abbey it is only an hour's drive to Dublin. In 1592, Queen Elizabeth I ordered the construction of Trinity College. That’s the oldest Irish university. Famous writers as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and Jonathan Swift were its graduates. The complex of the 16th century is now in excellent condition. There are cobbled squares and amazing university campuses. The Book of Kells, which was written in the 8th century and is considered one of the world's oldest manuscripts, is kept in the Trinity Library.