View source for City Hall, Dublin

{{Short description|18th-century civic building in Dublin, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = City Hall, Dublin
| native_name         = Halla na Cathrach, Baile Átha Cliath
| native_name_lang    = ga
| image               = Dublin City Hall 2018a.jpg
| image_caption       = Dublin City Hall from Cork Hill
| coordinates         = {{coord|53.343854|-6.267154|display=inline}}
| map_dot_label       = City Hall
| former_names        = The Royal Exchange
| address             = Dame Street, Dublin 2
| location_city       = [[Dublin]]
| location_country    = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| altitude            = {{convert|8|m}}
| start_date          = 1769
| completion_date     = 1779
| architect           = [[Thomas Cooley (architect)|Thomas Cooley]]
}}
The '''City Hall, Dublin''' ({{irish place name|Halla na Cathrach, Baile Átha Cliath|no_translate=yes}}), originally the '''Royal Exchange''', is a civic building in [[Dublin]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. It was built between 1769 and 1779, to the designs of architect [[Thomas Cooley (architect)|Thomas Cooley]], and is a notable example of 18th-century [[architecture]] in the city.  Originally used by the merchants of the city, it is today the formal seat of [[Dublin City Council]].
==Location==
[[File:Royal Exchange, Dublin.png|thumb|left|18th century view of the Royal Exchange; one of "[[James Malton|Malton]]'s [[A Picturesque and Descriptive View of the City of Dublin|views of Dublin]]"]]
City Hall is located on a slope on Dame Street, at the southern end of Parliament Street, on Dublin's southern side.  It stands in front of part of [[Dublin Castle]], the centre of British government in Ireland until 1922.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dublincastle.ie/16-january-1922-remembering-the-handover-of-dublin-castle-to-michael-collins/|title=16 January 1922: Remembering the Handover of Dublin Castle to Michael Collins|publisher=Dublin Castle|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref>
==History==
[[File:Image Floor Mosaic of City Hall of Dublin.jpg|thumb|Floor mosaic showing city arms and motto]]
The building occupied the site of what was formerly Cork House, the home of the [[Earl of Cork]] until his death in 1643, as well as Lucas's Coffee-House.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Royal Exchange, now Dublin City Hall {{!}} Dublin Castle |url=https://www.dublincastle.ie/the-royal-exchange-now-dublin-city-hall/ |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> Prior to that point, the site was occupied by the church of [[St. Mary del Dam]] from which [[Dame Street]] gets its name.<ref>{{cite book|last=Peter|first= A. |year=1927|title=Dublin Fragments: Social and Historic|location=Dublin|publisher= Hodges Figgis & Co.|page=45}}</ref>
Parliament Street had been laid-out in 1753,<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=DU&regno=50020024 | publisher = [[National Inventory of Architectural Heritage]] | title = NIAH Entry - Parliament Street Medical Practice, Parliament Street, Dublin | website = Buildingsofireland.ie | accessdate = 25 October 2018 }}</ref> providing a continuation of Capel Street on the north bank of the [[River Liffey|Liffey]], across the newly widened Essex Bridge.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dublincity.ie/story/dublins-civic-buildings-transcript | publisher = Dublin City Council | title = Dublin's Civic Buildings in the Early Modern Period | author = Lennon, Colm | date = 22 January 2009 | accessdate = 25 October 2018 | archive-date = 26 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181026030643/http://www.dublincity.ie/story/dublins-civic-buildings-transcript | url-status = dead }}</ref>  Originally built as the ''Royal Exchange'', the structure was designed by [[Thomas Cooley (architect)|Thomas Cooley]], who had won a design competition run for the project between 1768 and 1769.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/1205 | publisher = Irish Architectural Archive | work = Dictionary of Irish Architects | title = Thomas Cooley | accessdate = 25 October 2018 }}</ref> The foundation stone was laid by the [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]], [[George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend|George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend]] on 2 August 1769 and was officially opened for business in 1779.<ref name=penny>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=N-ERAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA146   |title=Royal Exchange|publisher=The Dublin Penny Journal|volume=4|date=7 November 1835}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50910009/city-hall-cork-hill-exchange-court-dublin-2-dublin  |title=City Hall, Cork Hill, Exchange Court, Dublin 2, Dublin|publisher=[[National Inventory of Architectural Heritage]]|access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref>
The function of the building was to act as a form of [[stock exchange]] and to provide a meeting place for Dublin's businessmen. It was also close to the [[The Old Custom House, Dublin|old Custom House]] making it convenient for overseas merchants. The cost of building the exchange was met by the [[Parliament of Ireland]], and this is reflected by the initials "SPQH", standing for "Senatus PopulusQue Hibernicus", meaning "The senate and people of Ireland" (an Irish version of [[SPQR]]).<ref>{{cite journal|jstor = 25509772| title = James Gandon and the Royal Exchange Competition, 1768-69 | author = McParland, E | journal = The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland | volume = 102 | issue = 1 | date = 1972| pages = 58–72}}</ref>
The city government had previously been located in the mediæval [[The Tholsel, Dublin|Tholsel]] at the corner of Nicholas Street and Christchurch Place, approximately 300 metres to the west where the [[Peace Park, Dublin|Peace Park]] is now located as well in various other forms and locations including the  ''[[Thing (assembly)|Thingmount]]'' near present-day Suffolk Street.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/OldDub/chapter6.htm | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071109134142/http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/OldDub/chapter6.htm | archivedate = 9 November 2007 | title = Life in Old Dublin, James Duffy and Co., Dublin | date = 1913|url-status = usurped | author = Collin, James }}</ref> In the late 18th century, meetings were held at what is now [[City Assembly House]] on [[South William Street, Dublin|South William Street]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historyireland.com/city-assembly-house/|title=City Assembly House|date=18 December 2018 |publisher=History Ireland|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref>
In 1815 the metal balustrade of the exchange fell, owing to the pressure against it by a crowd, which led to the death of nine people, with many more injured. This led to crowd restrictions in the building.<ref>{{cite book| author = McGregor, John James | title = New Picture of Dublin | publisher = Johnston | date = 1821 | page = 40}}</ref>
In the 1850s, [[Dublin Corporation]] bought the Royal Exchange and converted it for use by the city government. The changes included the construction of partitions around the ambulatory, the addition of a new staircase from the rotunda to the upper floors, and the sub-division of the vaults for storage. On 30 September 1852, the Royal Exchange was renamed ''City Hall'' at the first meeting of Dublin City Council held there. The [[Ward (electoral subdivision)|ward]] name "Royal Exchange" was retained, corresponding to the current [[electoral division (Ireland)|electoral division]]s of Royal Exchange A and B.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1986|type=si|number=12|name=County Borough of Dublin (Wards) Regulations 1986|access-date=22 October 2015}}</ref> A series of [[fresco]]s were later added, representing the regions of Ireland.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_oMWAQAAMAAJ   |title= A School of Art in Dublin Since the Eighteenth Century A History of the National College of Art and Design|first= John|last= Turpin|year= 1995|page=216|publisher=Gill & Macmillan|isbn=978-0717120598}}</ref>
During the [[1916 Easter Rising]], the City Hall was used as a [[garrison]] for the [[Irish Citizen Army]]. [[Sean Connolly]] seized the building using a key which he obtained as he worked in the motor department and had access to the building. There were 35 people based here, mostly women. It was in this area where the first casualty of the rising, a guard named James O’Brien, occurred at Dublin Castle and he was shot by Sean Connolly while on duty. In total, the entire siege lasted about 12 hours.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.dublincity.ie/node/14412 | publisher = Dublin City Council | title = History of City Hall | accessdate = 25 October 2018 }}</ref>
==Structure==
[[File:Dublin's City Hall.jpg|thumb|upright|Main entrance to Dublin City Hall]]
The exterior of the building is primarily made out of white [[Portland stone]] from a quarry in Dorset.<ref name="brochure">{{cite web | url= http://dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/content//RecreationandCulture/CityHall/Documents/DCCH03%5B1%5D.pdf | title= Dublin's City Hall - Story of the Capital (History brochure) |publisher=Dublin City Council |accessdate=12 September 2014}}</ref> The carved capitals were by Simon Vierpyl, and plasterwork by the [[stucco]]dore Charles Thorpe. The neo-classical building contains a central entrance hall or [[Rotunda (architecture)|Rotunda]], with a large dome supported by twelve columns which are surrounded by an ambulatory where merchants strolled and discussed business meetings.<ref name="brochure"/> The twelve columns supporting the dome are {{convert|32|feet}} high and the dome itself is another {{convert|10|feet}} high above that.<ref name=penny/>
Patrick Wyse Jackson, curator of the Geological Museum in Trinity College, assessed the building in 1993 as part of his book ''"The Building Stones of Dublin: A Walking Guide"'' and made the following observation:{{sfn|Wyse Jackson|1993|page=23}}
:'' "...it is faced with Portland Stone and capped with a fine pattinated-copper green dome. Examination of the stone facing the River Liffey shows that it has deteriorated badly. It is blistered in places and supports a good population of algae and mosses. These plants tend to retain water, which accelerates the breakdown of the Portland Stone".''
==Use==
Some council meetings take place in City Hall.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu/your-council | publisher = Dublincity.ie | title = Your City Council | accessdate = 25 October 2018 | quote = ''[Council] meetings are convened in City Hall or other locations around the city''}}</ref> Dublin Corporation itself was renamed in the early 21st century as ''[[Dublin City Council]]'', previously the name of the assembly of councillors only. Most City Council staff work in the newer, [[Brutalist architecture|brutalist]] style, Civic Offices, controversially built from 1979 on the site of a national monument, the Viking city foundations on [[Wood Quay]], a short distance away.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historyireland.com/heritage-outrage-wood-quay/|title=Heritage outrage: Wood Quay|date=4 March 2014 |publisher=History Ireland|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref>
There is an exhibition on the history of Dublin City, called "Dublin City Hall, The Story of the Capital", located in the vaults of the building.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-your-council-your-area-south-east-area-leisure-culture-south-east-area/city-hall | publisher = Dublincity.ie | title = City Hall | date = |accessdate = 25 October 2018 }}</ref>
==See also==
* [[The Mansion House, Dublin]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Wyse Jackson |first=Patrick |title= The Building Stones of Dublin: A Walking Guide |url= https://archive.org/details/buildingstonesof0000wyse/mode/2up|year=1993 |publisher= Town House and Country House |location=Donnybrook, Dublin |isbn=0-946172-32-3}}
{{refend}}
{{Panorama
|image      = File:Dublin City Hall interior.jpg
|height     = 240
|alt        = Stitched panoramic photograph showing the entrance hall of City Hall, Dublin
|caption    = Panoramic view of the entrance hall
}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.dublincity.ie/dublincityhall/ Dublin City Hall website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614140355/http://www.dublincity.ie/dublincityhall/ |date=14 June 2018 }}
* [https://www.dublinhistoricmaps.ie/boundaries/wards/index.html Dublin Historic Maps: Some Dublin and Kingstown Wards, between 1780 and 1954]
{{History of Dublin}}
{{City and County buildings in the Republic of Ireland}}
{{City and town halls in Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|53.344012|-6.26725|type:landmark_region:IE|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:City Hall, Dublin}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Ireland]]
[[Category:City and town halls in the Republic of Ireland|Dublin]]
[[Category:Local government in County Dublin]]
[[Category:Government buildings in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Dublin City Council]]
[[Category:Georgian architecture in Dublin (city)]]