The first mention of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin dates back to 1191. This is also considered the date of its foundation. From the day of its establishment, the cathedral remains the largest not only in Dublin but also all over the country. However, it is not the principal cathedral in the city. Be that as it may, for eight centuries of its existence, the majestic Gothic structure has become as an iconic religious symbol for the Irish as Notre-Dame de Paris is for the French. Moreover, both European cathedrals were built around the same time, in the second half of the 12th century.

A visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin is a walk through the history of Ireland. The shrine has always been an important part of the city and the country: it grew, developed, and transformed with them, and eventually turned from a small church into the largest national Irish cathedral.

According to legend, it stands on the spot where St. Patrick himself baptized the first Christian believers in Ireland. The sacred spring used by the patron saint of the country has not survived to this day, but the cathedral has become a worthy compensation for this loss.

As the largest religious building in the country, St. Patrick's Cathedral keeps many interesting exhibits within its walls. Most guests visit the grave of Jonathan Swift to curiously examine the final resting place of the famous satirist from Dublin and enthusiastically recall his works. Few people know that in the first half of the 18th century, he was the dean of the cathedral. At the same time, he wrote his most famous works, including the novel called Gulliver's Travels.

In the cathedral, here and there you can see various memorial plaques, busts, and other memorabilia, devoted to bright personalities and entertaining episodes from the history of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin and Ireland. For example, there are exhibits dedicated to the blind traveling harpist Turlough O'Carolan and the first Irish president Douglas Hyde.