Ashtown Castle facts for kids
Ashtown Castle is a historic tower house located in the famous Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. It's a really old building that was once hidden inside a much bigger, more modern house!
This amazing castle was discovered by accident. It was found hidden within the walls of a large Georgian building called the Under Secretary's Lodge (also known as Ashtown Lodge). This bigger house was used by the Pope's representative, called the Papal Nuncio, until 1978. The Lodge had to be taken down because it was badly damaged by something called dry rot, which is a type of fungus that eats wood. As the bigger house was being carefully taken apart, Ashtown Castle was found inside! After its discovery, the castle was carefully fixed up and is now a part of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, where people can learn all about it.
A Castle Hiding in Plain Sight
Ashtown Castle is thought to have been built around the 1430s. Back then, the government actually offered £10 to people who built a castle to help keep themselves safe. This castle was built to the exact size that qualified for that money! Later, the castle became part of the much larger Ashtown Lodge. From 1782, this Lodge became the official home for the Under Secretary, who was an important government official in Ireland at the time.
Visiting Ashtown Castle
Right next to Ashtown Castle, you'll find the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. This centre has lots of information for visitors. It also features an interesting exhibition that tells the story of Phoenix Park, going all the way back to 3500 BC up to today. There's even a cafe on the grounds of the visitor centre where you can grab a snack or a drink.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Ashtown para niños
