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The Book of Kells

Long Library | Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland (South City Centre)
01-608-2320
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As featured in 3 days in Dublin
Ranked #60 of 227 attractions in Dublin
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Type: Landmarks/ Points of Interest, Libraries
Fee: Yes
Recommended length of visit: <1 hour
Owner description: The Book of Kells is a world famous illuminated manuscript written in Latin of the Gospels from the Bible. It was painstakingly hand-written and... more » Owner description: The Book of Kells is a world famous illuminated manuscript written in Latin of the Gospels from the Bible. It was painstakingly hand-written and illustrated by monks around 800 A.D. « less
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305 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Silver Spring, Maryland
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2013 NEW

While only a few pages of the Book of Kells are on display, I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit. This gospel book is one of many i studied in my medieval art history classes and to have been able to actually see it up close is an experience I won't soon forget. Ticket lines get pretty long, so I would suggest... More

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Krakow, Poland
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
22 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2013 NEW

Huge queue (up to one hour wait and that was not in high season) and expensive tickets (10euro). It is worth seeing but better to spend the day on a trip to Galway then queuing here.

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See 6 more reviews by Etsi_Ketsi1 for Dublin
Nashville, Tennessee
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
18 attraction reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013 NEW

The Book of Kells was a let down because there is not much available to see and the dark room makes viewing hard at best. The exhibits were hard to follow and seemed unorganized. I am not Catholic so that might have played into my disappointment; it was several hours and I am sure there was a famous pub waiting... More

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See 6 more reviews by ann p for Dublin
Orlando, Florida
Contributor
18 reviews 18 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2013 via mobile

Considering the rarity of the Book of Kells, I think that the price is worth it. I found the information hall before the actually book display to be quite well done. I think it could get quite crowded in the high season, though. One could view only 2 pages of the BoK and 2 pages of other ancient books. Still... More

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See 3 more reviews by timinorlando for Dublin
Saint Louis, Missouri
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 May 2013

Cool to see the four Gospels, created by monks 800 BC. Visit the Old Library too. You probably won't need a lot of time at this exhibit but worth the stop -- right in the hub of the city.

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See 3 more reviews by trekglobe for Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 May 2013

This visit is a bit expansive but the museum is a thing to see in Dublin. Along the visit you will get a lof of informations regarding books but the most amazing part of the visit comes at the end when you finally discover the library. You will feel the spirit and the smell of old books on shelves and... More

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See 4 more reviews by Olivier P for Dublin
Charleston, South Carolina
Top Contributor
102 reviews 102 reviews
53 attraction reviews
Reviews in 36 cities Reviews in 36 cities
33 helpful votes 33 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

There is a very nice museum display that is informative in all things bookmaking. I watched a video of how a book binding is done. The book itself is what most consider underwhelming kind of like when people see how small the Mona Lisa is in person. But then you go upstairs and see the library which is breathtaking. Absolutely... More

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See 11 more reviews by Mandi M for Dublin
Charlottesville, Virginia
Top Contributor
111 reviews 111 reviews
20 attraction reviews
Reviews in 48 cities Reviews in 48 cities
45 helpful votes 45 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

The 9 Euro fee for admission to the exhibit seems a tad high, especially x 3 or 4 for a small group or family. That said, the exhibit does a very thorough job of describing and explaining the cultural and historic significance of the book and companion manuscripts from that era. As an artifact, the book is sorted and displayed... More

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See 5 more reviews by Eric S for Dublin
alberta
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

Danielle was a very good guide! Ask for her. She explained about the university as well and gave some humorous moments as well. The old library was great to see.....it is hard to believe how old they are. The oldest harp in Ireland is also on display.

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New York City, New York
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 May 2013 via mobile

The exhibit gives a good explanation of the Book of Kells, it's meaning and how it was made and when. Seeing the manuscript was amazing, along with the security case. Even more unexpected was the library upstairs, which was the best part. Check out the staircases on either end, the upper level, as well as the detailed leather folio.

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See 3 more reviews by bctravelpeeps for Dublin

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