Christ Church Cathedral. Dublin's Viking Church
Is Christ Church Cathedral Worth Visiting?
I have to be honest, I'm a bit of a jaded traveller and another old church didn't excite me. I prefer seeing natural Dublin like the Guinness Park. But Tour Guide Tom really made this well worth an hour of my time. Score: 7.5/10
What is Christ Church Cathedral?
Christchurch Cathedral is a 1000 year old church that was first built by the Vikings in 1028, with today's version built by the invading English in 1170.
The Tour Experience
The Guide
Our tour guide was fantastic, Tom from Cork. We were on Team Tom which was quite fun but also worked well when you lost track of the group. He'd call out Team Tom and was easy to find.
This isn't just a church tour, it's an entertaining history tour too.
Guided vs Audio Tours
They only do guided tours Monday through Saturday at 11:30 & 3:30. You cannot book this online but the guide said it's never booked out. No reason to pre-book anything for Christ Church online. You can always pay on the door.
But 100% you should plan to go for the guided tours, not the self-guided audio tours. Those people doing those looked a little lost and not quite bored, but they weren't laughing and bought in like we were. Of course I'm biased that you should always get a guide wherever you go because I am a guide, but they give so much background to what is ultimately a church, albeit a very old one.
And Irish guides are always funny.
Darragh
What You See in Christchurch
Viking Origins
Our tour started outside the cathedral where Tom explained the original Viking history of the church. The Vikings came to Dublin to do what Vikings do, but they also saw the benefits of converting to Christianity. If as much for business as soul saving.
Augustinian Ruins
Then he pointed out the ruins of the church where the Augustinian Monks lived and prayed in 1220. He said they joined the monastery for protection in what was a violent town.
Strongbow's Tomb
Strongbow came over from England, married the daughter of the King of Leinster and expected to inherit it, but the king of England had other ideas. His tomb is here today.
The Leaning Wall of Dublin
Christchurch's roof collapsed in the 1600s and pushed the wall out. It's off by 18 inches. You can see it once Tom pointed it out. They said they would fix it and never did. Very Dublin. BTW, I bet this isn't mentioned on the audio guide. One point for the tour guide.
The Bishops Chair
The word Cathedral is latin for the bishop's chair (I'm not smart, I just learned it today). A rather fancy looking chair too.
The Heart of St Lawrence O'Toole
I won't ruin the surprise, but there's a true crime story in this tour too. And a modern one involving a 900 year old heart.
Handel's Messiah
You'll learn that Handel's Messiah was first performed around the corner in Fishamble Street on April 13, 1742. The Christ Church choir sang at its premiere and it's performed every year on the anniversary if you are in town then.
The Crypt
Beneath the church is the crypt, filled with treasures that are more valuable than a heart. You'll see how a cat and mouse chase is immortalized.
You'll see an 800 year old copy of the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was a check on arbitrary and oppressive rule-in a word, on tyranny, which we should really treasure in today's political world.
My Dublin Guided Walks
We'll skip the tourist traps and see the best of Dublin
5 Walking Tours: The famous Jetlag tour when you land • Howth Cliffs • Coastal Villages • Sunday Trad Session • Park & Dublin Bay
See all my tours
Practical Information
Tours: See here for times
Guided Tours: Monday to Saturday, 11:30 & 3:30.
Duration: The tour took an hour.
Cost: €11.50 for a self guided tour. €14 for guided tour (Summer 2025)
Do I need to book ahead?: No. I talked to the lady at the ticket office and she said they get busy but you can always pay when you get there. No need to book online. This includes the guided tour.
Alternative: You can just go to a Sunday service though, it's free and you see it doing what it really is, a church.
Coffee: There's often a mobile coffee van in the grounds of Christchurch. Its proceeds support the homeless in Dublin, so be sure to buy a coffee from them.
After Your Visit: Walk down Fishamble Street and see the plaque for Handel and then walk into the nice part of Temple Bar, Essex Street. This is much different than the bar area. Go visit the brothers who run The Bakery, it's been there for 25 years, has prices that are too cheap and it's a bit of old Dublin you don't expect in the commercialized Temple Bar.
Similar Places to Visit
St Audoen's Church is a two minute away and I love it. It's free to enter so definitely go there. It's even a nice place to bring a lunch and sit in its lovely garden.
St Michan's Church is just across the river and actually has the organ on which Handel composed Messiah. It also has a crypt and it is what inspirited Dubliner Bram Stoker to write 'Dracula'
Kilkenny Cathedral & Monastic Glendalough. A beautiful day trip from Dublin mixing ancient sites with Wicklow's stunning mountains and national park.
More Dublin Guides
Darragh
Darragh
Darragh
