Danielle

Jan 17, 2008

Our first full day in Dublin was jam-packed with historical sites and amazing moments.  Our first stop was Trinity College, to see the exhibit on the Book of Kells.  The intricacies and colors were astounding, and seeing the explanations of all the symbols was really remarkable.  The exhibit was really interesting, but my favorite part was definitely the Long Room, which is a huge hall with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with over three million volumes of old books.  At the edge of each bookshelf was a bust of a famous person, such as Aristotle or Shakespeare.  When I walked into the room, it took me a minute to take it all in, and I loved the feeling that I was around literally pieces of history.

That afternoon, we visited two of the most well-known and gorgeous cathedrals in Dublin, St. Patrick’s and Christ Church.  St. Patrick’s Cathedral is amazing because of the delicate, decorative intricacies that adorn the entire sanctuary; being a musician myself, I absolutely loved the huge organ that was housed above the congregation, and I can just imagine how the sound would fill the room.  Christ Church Cathedral is more simple, with some gothic-style influence, but the crypt below the church is the most interesting part because of all of the various tombs and exhibits of gold and silver that were given to the church by various royalty.

The last stop of the day was Dublin Castle, which really embodies the feelings I have gotten from Dublin thus far.  The castle is situated in the middle of the city, surrounded by office buildings and shops, and the castle itself is made up of various architectural styles.  For example, the main quarters are completely brick, and they are attached to an old sixteenth-century tower, which is attached to a gothic-style cathedral!  Dublin really is a melting pot of many different nationalities and cultures as well as many different time periods and architectural styles.  There are business people rushing to and from work and tourists taking pictures, and then you have gorgeous cathedrals, lots of shops, and a beautiful river running right down the middle of the city.

Dublin has been quite different than I expected but an amazing city nonetheless, full of unique history and people.