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The Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition, Dublin

4.1

#5 of 1,004 in Things to do in Dublin

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One of Ireland's major cultural and artistic treasures, The Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition counts among the oldest texts in the world, dated to the 9th century. This illuminated manuscript contains the four gospels of the Bible's New Testament and other sacred texts, written in Latin by Celtic monks. Despite the importance of its written sections, the book's main appeal lies in its illustrations, remarkable because of the artistry and attention to detail achieved by their creators. The intricately decorated pages feature vibrant colors and complex decorative patterns, painstakingly hand-drawn to enhance each section of text. You can see several pages of both illustrations and text at Ireland's largest library, which has displayed this historical book since the 19th century. For travelers who use our international travel planner, Dublin holidays become easier to arrange, with trips to the The Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition and other attractions mapped out and timetabled.

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The Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition Reviews

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19,517 reviews

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• By Stephen P

  The book of Kells is one of the most important documents in the history of Western Europe. It is a hand-written and hand-illustrated ancient book of the gospels in Latin. Outside of the Vatican, this ...  more »

• By AufZuNeuenUfern

  Wunderschöne und beeindruckende Bibliothek auf dem Gelände des Trinity College. Nicht von der Schlange abschrecken lassen: wir haben nur ca 15 Minuten warten müssen. Der Besuch hat sich gelohnt!  more »

  Beautiful and impressive library on the grounds of Trinity College. Don't be put off by the snake: We only have to wait about 15 minutes. The visit was worth it!
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• By Scott Toal

  Complete studs! The monks who managed to document and then protect this awesome work were absolute studs. The exhibit itself is beautiful and explains the book and it's history well. Seeing actual book can be tough because if the limited area around the book. But all the information provided in this site is fantastic.

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• By Joshua Drewes

  Interesting, but the exhibit was a bit short lived. Seeing the actual book was fascinating! Just a marvelous piece of history waiting to be seen. Do yourself a favor and watch Secret of the Kells before you go. Makes the experience a bit more “magical”

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