War Memorial Gardens

War Memorial Gardens review Rate it

Designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens as a tribute to the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in World War I (each end of the grounds is guarded by a granite bookroom containing manuscripts of the dead soldiers' names), these gardens retain an austere beauty.

Covering eight hectares (20 acres) of the southern slopes of the River Liffey with granite columns, sunken circular rose gardens, pergolas, fountains and lily ponds, it is a masterfully landscaped space. But due to its slightly out-of-the-way location, few tend to bother with the journey up here, or indeed even seem to know of its existence, meaning that the gardens are rarely crowded. All of which is great news for the architecture buffs, clued-up tourists and local strollers who get the place all to themselves.