Christ Church Cathedral | Dublin, Ireland

Who loves afternoon strolls through thousand year old churches? This girl does!

During my trip to Ireland I spent a fair bit of time walking past Christ Church Cathedral. Located between our AirBnB and Temple Bar, Christ Church was the most prominent landmark I would pass. It was a couple days into my trip before I decided to actually buy tickets. As much as I love exploring European Churches (you can see more of my adventures here and here), I'm not always willing to pay. However, I decided to sacrifice a couple of euros in the name of history!

Christ Church Cathedral is unique in several ways. For starters, it was largely restored and expanded by the Victorians. Much of what you see today is Victorian handiwork. However, the church's history dates back to 1030 after King Sihtrygg Silkbeard (real name, I swear) went on a pilgrimage to Rome. The church was stripped of many of its belongings during the reign of Henry VIII, however most of these items were restored thanks to Mary I.

Christ Church Cathedral is also home to one of the largest crypts in both Ireland and the UK. While it has been largely renovated unlike Gloucester Cathedral's famous crypt, this crypt is home to some fascinating pieces of sculpture that are kept underground for safe storage. 

The famous "Cat & Rat" who became mummified after climbing into the cathedral's organ.

What are some of your favorite churches in Europe?

xoxo