In the centre of Phoenix Park, the Papal Cross marks the site where Pope John Paul II preached to 1.25 million people in 1979. Pope Francis celebrated mass here on the last day of his visit to Ireland in 2018: the attendance was around 130,000, a telling reflection of the changing role of the Catholic Church in Irish society.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.14 MILES
Newgrange is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe, famous for the illumination of its passage and tomb during the winter solstice sun…
3.12 MILES
Trinity's greatest treasures are found within the Old Library and the incredible Long Room is one of the most photographed rooms in Dublin, for good…
1.32 MILES
If you have any desire to understand Irish history – especially the long-running resistance to British colonial rule – then a visit to this former prison…
3.11 MILES
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's most prestigious university, a collection of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled squares and nature…
3.38 MILES
A magnificent Caravaggio and a breathtaking collection of works by Jack B Yeats – William Butler Yeats' younger brother – are the main reasons to visit…
26.2 MILES
Slane Castle is a 300-year-old sprawling estate on the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath. The neo-gothic castle and grounds are open to visitors…
2.04 MILES
The most popular attraction in Dublin is this multimedia homage to Guinness. An old fermentation plant in the St James's Gate Brewery has been converted…
2.46 MILES
Explore behind the facade of one of Dublin's famous Georgian townhouses, carefully restored to gently peel back layers of complex social history over 250…
Nearby Dublin attractions
0.28 MILES
The Phoenix Monument, a Corinthian column topped by a very un-phoenix-like bird, was erected by Lord Chesterfield in 1747, and is often referred to…
0.53 MILES
The official residence of the Irish president, this white Palladian lodge was originally built in 1751 and has been enlarged a couple of times since, most…
0.64 MILES
The hugely impressive 707 hectares that comprise Dublin's Phoenix Park are not just a magnificent playground for all kinds of sport—from running to polo…
0.65 MILES
The restored four-storey Ashtown Castle is a 17th-century tower house that was 'discovered' inside the 18th-century nuncio's mansion when the latter was…
5. Phoenix Park Visitor Centre
0.73 MILES
The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre has a self-guided exhibition on the history and wildlife of the park; you can also arrange and collect tickets for the…
0.77 MILES
Towards Phoenix Park's Parkgate entrance is Magazine Fort on Thomas' Hill. Built between 1734 and 1801, the fort served as an occasional arms depot for…
1.03 MILES
Running alongside the northern banks of the Liffey between the villages of Chapelizod and Lucan, roughly along the western edge of Phoenix Park, is the…
1.07 MILES
Hardly anyone ever ventures this far west, but they're missing a lovely bit of landscaping in the shape of the War Memorial Gardens – by our reckoning as…