Saint Patrick's
Cathedral in
Dublin,
Ireland, was founded in the 12th century by
Archbishop John Comyn, in replacement of an older church from the late 5th (fifth) century, on the site of a holy
well used by Ol'
Paddy himself for baptisms (in fact, this well was supposed to be located in the adjacent
park).
The cathedral as we can see it today has little in common with its ancestor, and has been rebuilt several times. The last massive
restoration occurred in the late XIXth century and was funded by Sir Benjamin
Guinness - yes, the same Guinness as the
beer.
Jonathan Swift was
Dean of St Patrick's from
1713 to his death in
1745.
I've been there. It's quite
impressive, and in the same time very
peaceful - quite different from
continental European cathedrals. But I must confess (with great
shame) that what impressed me the most was the
trunk.
The trunk of St Patrick' Cathedral in Dublin is an empty barrel of Guinness !