This handsome building has been the home of Jesuit Belvedere College (a secondary school) since 1841. James Joyce studied here between 1893 and 1898 (and described his experiences in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man), and we can only wonder whether he ever took a moment to admire the magnificent plasterwork by master stuccodore Michael Stapleton in between catechism classes and arithmetic homework.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. St George’s Church

0.1 MILES

One of Dublin's most beautiful buildings is this deconsecrated church, built by Francis Johnston between 1802 and 1813 in Greek Ionic style. It is topped…

2. Dublin Writers Museum

0.12 MILES

Memorabilia aplenty and lots of literary ephemera line the walls and display cabinets of this elegant museum devoted to preserving the city’s rich…

3. Irish Writers Centre

0.14 MILES

Next door to the Dublin Writers Museum, which focuses on the dearly departed, the Irish Writers Centre provides a meeting and working place for their…

4. Garden of Remembrance

0.15 MILES

This rather austere little park was opened by President Eamon de Valera in 1966 for the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. The most interesting…

5. Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin

0.15 MILES

Whatever reputation Dublin has as a repository of world-class art has a lot to do with the simply stunning collection at this exquisite gallery, housed in…

6. James Joyce Cultural Centre

0.17 MILES

James Joyce is brought to virtual life in this beautifully restored Georgian house. As well as some wonderful interactive details, the exhibits include…

7. Children of Lir Monument

0.18 MILES

In the Garden of Remembrance is a bronze statue of the Children of Lir by Oisín Kelly; according to Irish legend the children were turned into swans by…

8. Rotunda Hospital

0.25 MILES

Irish public hospitals aren’t usually attractions, but this one – founded in 1748 as the first maternity hospital in the British Isles – makes for an…