Custom House

Located on Custom House Quay, by Dublin's Financial District, the Custom House is one of Dublin's finest buildings. Designed by James Gandon and completed in 1791, it is beautifully proportioned, with a long classical façade of graceful pavilions, arcades, columns; a central dome topped by a 16 foot- statue of Commerce; and 14 keystones over the doors and windows, known as the Riverine Heads because they respect the Atlantic Ocean and the 13 principal rivers of Ireland. Although burned to a shell in 1921, this building has been masterfully restored and its bright Portland stone recently cleaned.