Christ Church Cathedral

Standing on high ground in the oldest part of the city, this cathedral is one of Dublin's finest historic buildings. It dates back to 1038 when Sitric, the then Danish king of Dublin, built the first wood here. In 1171 the original simple foundation was extended into a cruciform and rebuilt in stone by Strongbow, although the present structure dates mainly from 1871 to 1878 when a huge restoration was undertaken. Only the transepts, the crypt, and a few other portions date from the medieval times. Highlights of the interior include magnificent stonework and graceful pointed arches, with delicately chiselled supporting columns. Strongbow himself is among the historic figures buried in the church, as is archbishop Browne, the first Protestant to occupy the church, during the reign of the English King Henry 8th. It is the mother church for the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough of the Church of Ireland.