Outside of Rome, Dublin might be considered the most Catholic city in Europe. On an island that has been split for nearly a century over the issue of religion, Dublin is the religious center of the Republic of Ireland, while Ulster in Northern Ireland has been the center of Protestantism.

As might be expected, the churches of Dublin are some of its most popular tourist attractions. Also as would be expected, the largest of these is named for the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. It is not the only famous church. There are at least 11 churches and cathedrals dating back hundreds of years.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest church in Ireland and was founded beside a well where St. Patrick is said to have baptized converts in about the year 450 A.D. A stone slab bearing a Celtic cross and covering the well was unearthed at the turn of the 20th century and now is preserved in the west end of the cathedral's nave.

The original building was a simple wooden chapel and it remained so until 1192 when Archbishop John Comyn rebuilt the cathedral in stone. Much of the current structure dates back to between 1254 and 1270.

Christchurch Cathedral

This cathedral is one of Dublin's finest historic buildings, standing on high ground in the oldest part of the city. Its history dates back to 1038 when Sitric, the Danish king of Dublin, built the first wood structure there. In 1171 the original foundation was extended into a cruciform and rebuilt in stone. The current structure dates mainly from 1871 to 1878 when a huge restoration was undertaken.

Other Old Churches

There are several church structures that can boast of having stood for 200 or 300 years, which does not make them “old” by Dublin standards. Both St. Doulagh's Church and St. Mary’s Church are much older. St. Mary’s traces its history back to 1042 and also was built on the order of King Sitric. Originally it was served by a community of clerics. The house where the community lived stands to the south of the church. St. Doulagh’s is somewhat younger, dating back only to the 12th century.

Trinity College Chapel

Not all the historic churches of Dublin are devoted to Catholicism. On the grounds of Trinity College, the Trinity College Chapel this is the only chapel in Ireland to be shared by all denominations. The painted window above the altar dates from 1867.