The lake
Ducks and waterbirds.
Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · N Chadwick — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Avramescu Marius — CC BY-SA 4.0 · William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Jean Housen — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Miguel Mendez from Malahide, Ireland — CC BY 2.0
The largest of central Dublin's Georgian garden squares, covering 8.9 hectares at the top of the Grafton Street shopping strip; its current layout was designed by William Sheppard, and it reopened to the public on 27 July 1880. The park has a lake with ducks and other waterbirds, small stone bridges, fountains, wide lawns and neat flower beds, and sculptures of figures from Irish history and literature; many people enter through the stone Fusiliers' Arch at the north-west corner. It is the perfect break in a city-centre walk, where office workers and students sit out on sunny days, surrounded by elegant Georgian buildings, a shopping centre, a historic hotel and a tram stop. Entry is free and the park opens from morning until dusk. It is loveliest in spring and summer when the flowers are out, and pairs well with the national museums nearby.
Ducks and waterbirds.
The stone gateway.
At its corner.
Top of Grafton Street, central Dublin
National Museum of Ireland – ArchaeologyThe archaeology branch of the National Museum of Ireland, in an elegant Victoria5 minutes walk4.5
National Gallery of IrelandIreland's national art museum, founded in 1854 and opened ten years later, home 7 minutes walk4.8
Book of Kells and Trinity College LibraryDublin's best-known cultural sight, inside the historic campus of Trinity Colleg8 minutes walk4.5
Chester BeattyA museum and library in the grounds of Dublin Castle holding the collections tha9 minutes walk4.6
Dublin CastleA historic complex in the heart of Dublin, built on the site of a Norman castle 10 minutes walk4.2Daily from morning until dusk, free of charge, at the top of Grafton Street.