Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral has been at the heart of Dublin and Ireland’s history and culture for over 800 years. The story of the cathedral begins with Saint Patrick himself, who, according to legend, used a nearby well for baptism. For hundreds of years it was the largest enclosed space on the island and it remains the biggest cathedral in the country. It has been visited by some of Irish history’s most influential people and the great satirist Jonathan Swift was dean of the Cathedral from 1713 to 1745; he is buried there alongside many objects relating to his life.

In 1869 Saint Patrick’s was raised to the status of a National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. The building gradually fell into a state of disrepair, but was restored to its full splendour in the nineteenth century with the help of the Guinness family.