Christ Church Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Anglican.

The cathedral was built in the early 11th century by the viking king Sitric Silkenbeard. It was rebuilt in stone in the late 12th century under the Norman potentate Strongbow and enlarged in the early 13th century using Somerset stones and craftsmen.

A partial collapse in the 16th century left it in poor shape and the building was extensively renovated and rebuilt in the late 19th century, giving it the form it has today, including the tower, flying buttresses, and distinctive covered footbridge. The cathedral contains the tomb of Strongbow, a medieval Norman-Welsh peer, who came to Ireland at the request of King Diarmuid MacMorrough and who is believed to be the progenitor of Anglo-Norman involvement in Ireland.

According to the website of the Christ Church Cathedral, in 1562 the nave roof vaulting collapsed and Strongbow's tomb was smashed, the current tomb is a contemporary replacement from Drogheda. A female figure with sloping shoulders is next to the main tomb, but wearing chain mail, which may indicate that it was a child.

St Michael's, a prebendal church of Christ Church which was demolished by Street during his restoration of the cathedral, is located at the west end of the cathedral and leads to the former synod hall. The old St Michael's tower was the location of the general synods and diocesan synods for Dublin, Glendalough, and Kildare.


The "Dublinia" exhibition about medieval Dublin is located there. The Friends of Christ Church Cathedral was founded in 1929 and supports the cathedral. This group works with the cathedral authorities in a variety of ways, as Christ Church receives no regular state support, while it welcomes all guests and has a chapel for those who simply wish to pray, there are fees for sightseeing, which can also Souvenirs, recordings of cathedral music groups and publications can be purchased in the gift shop.

The cathedral has been used as a set for several television shows, including The Tudors, which is the cathedral's longest running television show. The cathedral crypt has many dresses and outfits that were worn by Maria Doyle Kennedy and King Henry VIII.