Seeing the Sights - Dublin - page 90

delicately chiseled supporting columns. This is the mother church
for the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough of the Church of Ire-
land. The Treasury in the crypt is open to the public, and you can
hear bells pealing in the belfry.
Christ Church Place, Dublin 8. & 01/677-8099. Admission € 5 ($6) adults, € 2.50
($3) students and children under 15. Daily 10am-5:30pm. Closed Dec 26. Bus: 21A,
50, 50A, 78, 78A, or 78B.

Collins Barracks Officially part of the National Museum,
Collins Barracks is the oldest military barracks in Europe. Even if it
were empty, it would be well worth a visit for the structure itself, a
splendidly restored early-18th-century masterwork by Colonel
Thomas Burgh, Ireland's chief engineer and surveyor general under
Queen Anne. The collection housed here focuses on the decorative
arts. Most notable is the extraordinary display of Irish silver and fur-
niture. Until the acquisition of this vast space, only a fraction of the
National Museum's collection could be displayed, but that is chang-
ing, and more and more treasures find their way here. It is a prime
site for touring exhibitions, so consult the Event Guide for details.
There is also a cafe and gift shop on the premises.
Benburb St., Dublin 7. & 01/677-7444. Free admission. Tours (hours vary) € 2
($2.40) adults, free for seniors and children. Tues-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 2-5pm. Bus:
34, 70, or 80.

Dublin Castle Built between 1208 and 1220, this complex
represents some of the oldest surviving architecture in the city. It
was the center of British power in Ireland for more than 7 centuries,
until the new Irish government took it over in 1922. Film buffs
might recognize the castle's courtyard as a setting in the Neil Jordan
film Michael Collins. Highlights include the 13th-century Record
Tower; the State Apartments, once the residence of English viceroys;
and the Chapel Royal, a 19th-century Gothic building with partic-
ularly fine plaster decoration and carved oak gallery fronts and fit-
tings. The newest developments are the Undercroft, an excavated
site on the grounds where an early Viking fortress stood, and the
Treasury, built between 1712 and 1715 and believed to be the old-
est surviving office building in Ireland. Also here are a craft shop,
heritage center, and restaurant.
Palace St. (off Dame St.), Dublin 2. & 01/677-7129. Admission € 4.50 ($5.40)
adults, 2 ($2.40) children under 12. No credit

cards. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat-Sun and holidays 2-5pm. Guided tours every
20-25 min. Bus: 50, 50A, 54, 56A, 77, 77A, or 77B.

€ 3.25 ($3.90) seniors and students, €