City Hall Dublin

The Dublin City Hall (Irish: Halla na Cathrach, Baile tha Cliath), once known as the Royal Exchange, is a municipal edifice in Dublin, Ireland. It was constructed between 1769 and 1779 according to the ideas of architect Thomas Cooley and is a significant example of 18th-century architecture in the city. Originally used by the city's merchants, it is now the official seat of Dublin City Council. City Hall is situated on Dame Street, near the southern end of Parliament Street, on Dublin's south side. It is located in front of a portion of Dublin Castle, which served as the seat of British authority in Ireland until 1922.

Surprisingly, the city hall design was available to public comment; of the 62 bids submitted by the government, Thomas Cooley, a London architect, emerged as the winner, beating out James Gandon, the designer of The Custom House. Cooley was later commissioned to construct the Four Courts. The stained-glass dome above, visible once inside, demands you to crane your neck just to take in the entire magnitude of the show. Originally intended to be kept open, the regular Irish rains forced the dome to shut the topmost peak.

Location: Dame St, Dublin, Ireland