dublin castle

The castle was first built about 1204 by King John of England as a stronghold to protect against the Irish and to safe-keep treasure. It was the headquaters of the English government in Ireland for many centuries until it was won back by the Irish Free State in 1922.
Famous accomplishments to take place here include the night that Michael Collins broke into the castle during the Black and Tan War to see if he could find if the British had any information about him. And in 1907 the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen from the castle and to this day they have never been found!
A tour of the castle is a must. There are guided tours of the State Apartments, the Undercroft and the Chapel Royal. The State Apartments are the venue for presidential inaugurations in Ireland. The Undercroft is where you can see Viking remains and the Old City walls.
You can also get a tour of the Garda Police Museum in the 13th century Norman Tower or the Chester Beatty Library – an amazing collection of art and book and some of the earliest manuscripts of the bible are on display here.
Today the castle plays a major part as a venue for visiting Heads of State, EU presidencies, state banquets and important conferences.