Dublin, Ireland, is a fascinating place to visit. There are many historic sites to see such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Trinity College, and many museums. Dublin is also home to several distilleries, including the famous Guinness Storehouse.
When it’s not raining, there are also many beautiful places to see outdoors. There are several wonderful gardens and hikes you can do along the coast.
One place you don’t want to miss is Phoenix Park. It’s no ordinary park! Discover the many different things to do in Phoenix Park in Dublin below.
Why Visit Phoenix Park?
The simple answer is that it’s an amazing place. Phoenix Park was established in 1662 by James Butler, Duke of Ormond on behalf of King Charles II of England. It’s one of the largest walled city parks in Europe and includes 707 hectares, covering a very large area north of River Liffey. That’s larger than Central Park in New York City! Nearly 30% of the park is woods, with oak, ash, lime, beech, sycamore and horse chestnut trees scattered throughout.
Another reason is that the park is open 24 hours a day and is free! It provides hours of entertainment at little to no cost, depending upon what you do in the park. And it has something to do for just about anyone.
Third, it’s not just a park. The residency of the President of Ireland, Aras an Uachtarain, is here. It’s quite the residence! It has a vast history and looks similar to the White House. The park is also home to the U.S. Ambassador’s residence.
Fourth, there is a massive amount of open space. Phoenix Park is famous for its herd of Fallow deer, which were first introduced by James Butler in the 1600s. Many of the deer are not afraid of people, but it’s not advised to get too close to them. The park also contains football (soccer) and hurling pitches (fields) if you enjoy playing sports.
There are many other things to do in Phoenix Park, including the Dublin Zoo, Ashtown Castle, the Phoenix Monument, the Victorian People’s Flower Garden, the Papal Cross, Magazine Fort and the Farmleigh Estate. See the list below for a guide to seeing all these incredible places.
The Dublin Zoo
The Dublin Zoo is one of the park’s main attractions. It’s the fourth oldest zoo in the world. While it’s not free, it’s very well worth the price of admission.
You will have the opportunity to see species from all over the world. It has hundreds of amazing animals that many people from North America may never have seen. Some of them include the aye-aye, bongo, Brazilian tapir, dhole, okapi, red howler monkey, red ruffed lemur, white-naped mangabey, and more!
Ashtown Castle
Ashtown Castle is a medieval residence that dates back to either the 15th or 17th century, depending on the source. However, the castle was not discovered until 1978, when a much larger Georgian mansion was demolished, and the castle was found inside.
Some people believe John Ashtown built the castle in 1641. The castle yard has many orchards and cottages built by John Ashtown. In 1774, Ashtown lodge was incorporated into the castle. A series of tunnels connects the two.
Outside of the castle is also Ashtown Demesne. There is a Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden, some picnic areas, and a playground.
Phoenix Monument and Wellington Monument (Testimonial)
The Phoenix Monument is located in the center of the park at the end of tree-lined Chesterfield Avenue. It was built in 1747 by the fourth Earl of Chesterfield. He carved it as a Corinthian column with a Phoenix on top.
The Wellington Monument (or Testimonial) was completed in 1861 and is the largest obelisk (type of pillar) in all of Europe at 62 meters tall.
Victorian People’s Flower Garden
The gardens were first established in 1840 and cover nine hectares, between the North Circular Road Gate and Park Gate Street entrance. They were originally established as the promenade grounds. The decadent Victorian design style has been well preserved.
This garden also contains picnic areas, a playground, and a very large ornamental lake. This is a must stop to see some beautiful plants and wild animals.
Papal Cross
While visiting Phoenix Park in Dublin, make sure to add the Papal Cross to your list of things to do. It’s a large white cross standing at 116 feet tall. It also contains great meaning and therefore has never been taken down.
The cross was built when Pope John Paul II preached to over a million people on September 29th, 1979. When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, a memorial service for him was held at this site and thousands attended.
Magazine Fort
Sir Edward Fisher built the Phoenix Lodge in 1611. In 1734, sadly, the house was destroyed. The Duke of Dorset built the bastion magazine and fort.
The defense fort has a long history from when the British occupied Ireland. It served as an occasional arms depot for the British and later the Irish armies.
Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed inside the magazine fort. You may only look at the outside and the surface of the fort because it is not in a state that is safe to enter.
Farmleigh Estate
This used to serve as the Irish government’s official guest house. Visiting dignitaries would stay here.
The Farmleigh Estate was originally built by Arthur Guinness’ great-grandson but was then restored in the early 2000s. It’s an impressive building that includes a massive library and glass conservatory.
Visitors are only allowed to see the house when on a guided tour, and even then, it is only the ground floor.
As you can see, there are many wonderful things to do in Phoenix Park, not to mention everything else to see in Dublin! We highly recommend to make this one of your main stops as you’re planning your next trip to Ireland.
Another thing that is important to include in your plans is travel health insurance. Wherever your travels may take you, one essential is basic medical coverage. This includes travel to Europe because no medical expenses will be covered for foreigners, even though several countries offer universal medical care.
We can find you a perfect plan to meet you or your family’s needs. You can request a quote online, call us at 480-813-9100, or email us at [email protected]. We’re here to provide you peace of mind from medical cost fears as you enjoy your travels.
We wish you safe travels to Dublin and beyond!
