The entrance off College Green has become famous and instantly recognizable for its front gate or Regent House entrance. It was built in 1752-1759 and is guarded by impressive statues of the poet, Oliver Goldsmith and the orator, Edmund Burke.
What draws millions of visitors to Trinity though, is its amazing library and its grand treasure - the Book of Kells.
The Trinity Library
The Library Act of 1801, entitled Trinity Library to receive a free copy of every book published in the UK and the right still holds today. Of course, the library at the college couldn't possibly hold all those books - well over 3 million at this stage. In fact, each year a mere kilometer of shelving must be found to store the new books. Today there are additional facilities dotted around Dublin to take the overflow.
The 65-meter Long Room at Trinity is dedicated to housing about 200,000 of the library's oldest volumes. Also on display are Ireland's oldest harp and a rare copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.
The Book of Kells
A different page of the famous book is displayed every day in Trinity Library. This book is reputed to be one of the oldest in the world and has often been praised as one of the most beautiful.
It is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels in Latin and the detail is fascinating and intricate. The complex and ornate illustrations are what make it unique and it's awe-inspiring to think that it was all down by hand.
The Book of Kells is a beautiful example of Irish illuminated manuscripts with colorful and complex decoration that would take a lifetime to properly study. It has no less than 31 full-page illustrations. It probably dates from 800 AD and was painstakingly produced by monks at St. Colmcille's monastery on the remote island of Iona.
When Viking invaders destroyed the monastery on Iona, the monks are believed to have taken the book to the monastery in Kells, in Co. Meath. In 1007 the book was stolen but found just three months later buried in the ground. In 1654, Trinity took the book for safe keeping, from Kells, where it remains today. However, there are plans to bring it back to Kells in the near future.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Irene Togher's Travel in Ireland topic, please visit the Discussions page.