The Custom House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Custom House |
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Teach an Chustaim
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Southern façade of the Custom House
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| General information | |
| Type | Custom house, local government offices |
| Architectural style | Palladian, Neoclassical |
| Location | Dublin |
| Coordinates | 53°20′55″N 6°15′11″W / 53.348544°N 6.253147°W |
| Construction started | 1781 |
| Completed | 1791 |
| Cost | £200,000 pounds sterling |
| Owner | Government of Ireland |
| Affiliation | Headquarters of Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James Gandon |
The Custom House (Irish: Teach an Chustaim) is a famous old building in Dublin, Ireland. It was built in the 1700s in a style called neoclassical. This means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Today, the Custom House is home to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This is a part of the Government of Ireland. You can find it on the north side of the River Liffey, between two bridges, Butt Bridge and Talbot Memorial Bridge.
Contents
Building History
Why a New Building?
Before this Custom House, there was an older one built in 1707. But by the late 1700s, it was too small and old. It could no longer handle all the work of collecting taxes on goods coming into Dublin.
So, a new, bigger building was needed. John Beresford, who was in charge of collecting money for the government in Ireland, had the idea for a new Custom House.
Designing the Custom House
In 1781, John Beresford chose James Gandon to be the architect. Gandon was a very talented designer. This was his first big project.
Not everyone was happy about the new building. Some people in Dublin and local business owners complained. They thought the new location was too far from the city center. They also worried it would not leave enough space for ships. Plus, the building was going up on what used to be a swamp!
People even tried to stop the building work. But John Beresford was determined. He made sure the project went ahead, even with all the protests.
Building the Custom House
Construction began in 1781. James Gandon worked with many skilled Irish artists and builders. For example, Henry Darley was a stone-cutter from Meath, and John Semple was a mason.
The building was finished and opened for business on 7 November 1791. It cost £200,000 to build. This was a huge amount of money back then!
The outside of the building is decorated with beautiful sculptures. These include coats-of-arms and figures that represent Ireland's rivers. Edward Smyth was the artist who made many of these sculptures. Another artist, Henry Banks, created the statue on top of the dome and other figures.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the port of Dublin moved further down the river. This meant the Custom House was no longer needed for its original job of collecting taxes. So, it became offices for the local government.
During the Irish War of Independence in 1921, a group called the Irish Republican Army (IRA) set fire to the Custom House. They did this to try and stop British rule in Ireland. The fire badly damaged the building. The inside was completely destroyed, and the main dome fell down. Many important historical records were also lost forever in the fire.
After Ireland became independent, the government of the Irish Free State rebuilt the Custom House. You can still see some of the changes today. The dome was rebuilt using a darker Irish stone called Ardbraccan limestone. This was done to show off Irish resources.
In the 1980s, a team from the Office of Public Works cleaned and restored the stonework again. This helped to keep the historic building looking its best.
Images for kids
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The Custom House at night
See also
In Spanish: The Custom House para niños
