Finding the right door

Over the last two weeks, I have shown you many famous monuments and buildings of Dublin. But if there is one place that you absolutely cannot miss while being here, it is a genuine Irish pub. Open till late, of course.

And in your Irish pub, you need to order an Irish beer. This can be the Guinness, who was borne in the city. And yes, this is the same Guinness as in the Guinness Book of Records. So you know what people are capable of doing after having a few pints. So maybe we will go for a Kilkenny instead.

Unfortunately, for centuries, the men from Dublin did not go for one Guinness or Kilkenny, not even for two. As a result, their way back home was long and bumpy. Making their wives upset. But what was really upsetting the wives was that at times the husband would accidentally land in somebody else's house "because all doors look the same after a few pints". So the wise women of Dublin made sure that their husbands could not use this excuse anymore. As a result, you can find in Dublin doors of all colours. Some are blue ...

... other yellow.

A neigbouring one would then be red.

Or maybe greenish.

What really matters is that those which are the closest are brightly different.

Of course, no wife can ensure that her husband would not wander around this door instead.

Especially if he would meet a friend on his way. Jolly Irish fellows are good friends.

 

Saint Patrick Cathedral

Every city has a major religious building. The same is for Dublin where Saint Patrick's Cathedral (in Irish: Ard-Eaglais Naomh Pádraig) is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland.

With its 43-metre (141 ft) spire, St. Patrick's is the tallest church in Ireland and the largest as well. In 1192, John Comyn, first Anglo-Norman Archbishop of Dublin, elevated one of the four Dublin Celtic parish churches, this one dedicated to Saint Patrick, beside a holy well of the same name. This stone was found just below St. Patrick's Well.

Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland. Here you can admire his monument.

Many historical events took place here. Legend says that Gerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, cut a hole in a door of the cathedra and thrust his arm through it to shake hands in friendship, in an effort to call a truce in the Butler–FitzGerald dispute with James, Earl of Ormond in 1492. Here the expression "chancing your arm" (meaning to take a risk) originated. You can see the Door of Reconciliation in the cathedral.

Another important object in the cathedral is The Tree of Remembrance. This barren tree seeks to remember all those who have been affected by conflict, anywhere in the world.

There are also many other places reminding of all the brave people and horses who lost their lives in the wars all over the world.

But the cathedral commemorates also the ones who came to Ireland to seek a new home. In 1666, the Cathedral Chapter offered the Lady Chapel for the use of French-speaking Huguenots who had fled to Ireland, and after some repair and preparation works, it became known as L'Eglise Française de St Patrick. A lease was signed on 23 December 1665 and was renewed from time to time until the special services ceased in 1816, by which time the Huguenots had been fully assimilated into the city population.

Here is the Lady Chappel in its whole beauty.

And here you can admire the main nave.

Unusually, St Patrick's is not the seat of a bishop, as the Archbishop of Dublin has his seat in Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1870, the Church of Ireland has designated St Patrick's as the national cathedral for the whole of Ireland, drawing chapter members from each of the twelve dioceses of the Church of Ireland. You can find their flags over their seats.

The dean is the ordinary for the cathedral; this office has existed since 1219. The most famous office holder was Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, who was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745.

His grave and epitaph can be seen in the cathedral, along with those of his friend Stella.

Stella's real name was Esther Johnson. Whether Swift and Stella were married has always been a subject of intense debate.

The question is important because wifes in Dublin are special sort. But let's discover it next week.

Dublin

I am so excited to take you today to yet another new country. It is widely known as the Green Island and as long as I have landed, I had no doubts why. It is indeed very green and close to the water.

Actually, in some parts they are maybe even overdoing it with the green.

I am sure by now you all have guessed that today we will visit Ireland. Or to be more precise, its capital city - Dublin. Since Dublin is a city with a long history, you will not be surprised that is has a castle.

Nowadays, the Dublin Castle is the sear of the Irish government. But it used to belong to a king of course. Though for centuries the title was held by the English kings who did not reside in Dublin but sent there their governonr instead. Maybe this is why the statue of the Justice is facing the castle rather than the nation gathered outside the main gate.

If I was an English king, I would not miss the opportunity to spend some time here. Even more, if I was a royal heir in shorts.

The gardens of the Dublin Castle hide one special place. In Garda Memorial Garden, completed in 2009, the names of all members of the Gardaí (Irish Police) killed in the line of duty are inscribed on a roll of honour.

The various sculptures are meant to remind the visitors that premature death tears families and society apart, leaving deep wounds.

Not far from the Dublin Castle, you will find the Irish parliament.

As we move on, we reach the Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I .

Ireland witnessed in its history many religious turmoils. For many years, Catholics could not pass that gate. But today we can enter inside, irrespective of your confession.

In the center of the College grounds you will find a bell tower called Campanile. Do not ask me why a university needs a bell tower, maybe to wake up students who snore too loudly during classes.

The Trinity College is considered the best university in Ireland. It is proud of its many famous graduates. One of them immortalised Dublin of his times in the famous book Ulysses. And Dublin pays back his honours to James Joyce by offering him a statue.

But Dubliners do not commemorate only people of distinguished talents. They have also made a monument for a common fishmonger called Molly Malone. You can easily see which part of the monument is the most appreciated one.

And if you do not know Molly, you need to turn the volume up.

As we move through the narrow streets ...

... we will reach the river Liffey. It is crossed by many bridges, some of which are for pedestrian traffic only.

On the other side of the river we need to take a look at the Spire of Dublin. If you have no clue what it represents and what is its connection to Dublin, you are likely to find many Dubliners of the same opinion. Though others say that the Eiffel Tower was hated for decades as well.

The Spire stands next to the main Post Office of Dublin (hello, my Postcrossing friends!).

I propose that we cross the river again. Those who wish can stay in one of the many pubs in the Temple Bar district.

Those who want to reconnect with the green side of the Green Island can join me into Stephen's Green, one of the city's many parks.

And next week, I will take you to one special place in Dublin, where Irish people celebrate the man who is painting the whole world green on one specific day of the year.

 

Brussels

Although Grand Place is the most marvelous place in Brussels, there are also other interesting sites. When you look at the UNESCO World Heritage list you will find there also for example two hotels designed by Victor Horta. The first one is located in the small Rue Paul-Emile Jansonstraat, visible over the crossing.

It is called Hotel Tassel and is considered as the first true Art Nouveau building, because of its highly innovative plan and its groundbreaking use of materials and decoration.

This is the building in the middle.

Unfortunately, although it is called a hotel, it is currently a private office so visitors are not allowed. The same applies to the second building - The Solvay House.

The house was commissioned by Armand Solvay, the son of the wealthy Belgian chemist and industrialist Ernest Solvay. For this wealthy patron Horta could spend a fortune on precious materials and expensive details. Horta designed every single detail; furniture, carpets, light fittings, tableware and even the door bell. He used expensive materials such as marble, onyx, bronze, tropic woods etc. For the decoration of the staircase Horta cooperated with the Belgian pointillist painter Théo van Rysselberghe.

The Hôtel Solvay and most of its splendid content remained intact thanks to the Wittamer family. They acquired the house in the 1950s and did the utmost to preserve and restore this magnificent dwelling.

Other impressive building of modern Brussels is Palais de Justice.

It was built between 1866 and 1883 in the eclectic style by the celebrated architect Joseph Poelaert. It is reputed to be the largest building constructed in the 19th century. Unesco is considering making it one of the next Belgian world heritage sites.

Just next to it you can admire the glory of Belgian infrantry for their effort in both World Wars ...

... and Anglo-Belgian War Memorial commemorating the support given by the Belgian People to British prisoners of war during the First World War.

But obviously there are also horses in Brussles. Please admire my beautiful ancestor here. He is standing at the center of Place Royale. The strange gentleman riding on his back is Godfrey of Bouillon, the leader of the first crusade in 1096.

Just left from their monument you can find Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg church. But its most important part of are the steps. On theeese steps, on July 21, 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha took the oath that made him H.M. Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians

Between Palace of Justice and Place Royale there are a few other interestig places. The first one is the first international post office in Brussels, open in 1516 and run by The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis within Holy Roman Empire until 1867, so even after Empire colapsed in 1806.

And here is the post entrance.

The modern post box is still here!

But the most beautiful part is a small park of The Kleine Zavel (Place du Petit Sablon).

In its central point you can take the rest from citi rush next to the Count Egmont and Count Hoorn. They were both key figures in the 16 th-century Dutch revolt against Spanish rule that resulted in the Eighty Years War and an independent Dutch Republic.

Another attraction of the Kleine Zavel park is the fence – each statue, pillar and section of wrought ironwork is unique. These 48 life-sized statues represent the traditional trades and guilds of Brussels. The various guilds and trades can be identified by their typical instruments or symbols. For example, the roofers with a ladder as visible on the picture.

Just next to the park you can admire Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon, which was patronised by the nobility and wealthy citizens of Brussels.

It is characterised by its late Brabantine Gothic exterior.

Typical for Brabanitine was use of light-coloured sandstone or limestone, which allowed rich detailing but is erosion-prone.

It is standing on the location of the chapel of the Crossbow Guild, which is very important for Brussels. According to a legend, a local devout woman named Beatrijs Soetkens had a vision in which the Virgin Mary instructed her to steal the miraculous statue of "Our Lady on the little stick" in Antwerp, bring it to Brussels and place it here. The woman stole the statue and, through a series of miraculous events, was able to bring it to Brussels by boat, in 1348.

The Guild promised to hold an annual procession, called an 'Ommegang', in which the statue was carried through Brussels. It was continuosly run from 1348 to 1785. In 1930, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Belgium, some history enthusiasts supported efforts to commemorate once again this demonstration, in the form of a historical procession. Given the success of this performance, it was decided to repeat it in subsequent years.

Great! That is the end of Brussels visiting. Time for ice cream!