The cathedral building dates from 1220 – 1259 and was built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, St Patrick’s Cathedral. It is the largest in Ireland and has been a prominent part of Dublin’s history for over 800 years. Enriched with history and culture, the cathedral offers visitors a look at the building’s dramatic tale of storm and fire damage to its restoration and evolution to one of Dublin’s main tourist attractions. One of the main restorations came in the 19th century when Benjamin Lee Guinness offered to cover the costs of the total restoration of the cathedral. At this point the cathedral closed for 5 years to undergo work on the nave and the transepts. In 1865 the cathedral reopened with an elaborate ceremony and it is thought that Mr Guinness spent 150,000 pounds on the restoration of the building.
St Patrick’s Cathedral is famous around the world for its choir which performs daily during the academic term. Choir evening song takes place weekdays at 5.30pm and well worth attending. The building is the National Cathedral for the Church of Ireland and encompasses overwhelming cultural aspects along with unforgettable architecture.
Guided tours are offered several times daily from approx. 9.30am – 5.00pm at and cost €8.00 for adults and €7.00 for Children. All proceeds from the tours go towards the upkeep of the cathedral.
The cathedral is right opposite and hotel at the junction of Patrick Street and Upper Kevin Street and less than a 2-minute walk from Maldron Hotel Kevin Street.