Message from The Dean The Very Reverend Dermot Dunne, Dean of Christ Church
Everyone is welcome at Christ Church and we aim to provide the best experience for all our visitors and those who have made the cathedral their spiritual home.
We are working hard to improve the accessibility of our medieval building and, though it is not always possible to provide all the facilities we would like due to its historic constraints, we are continually looking at ways to better accommodate anyone who would like to spend time with us, whatever their requirements. We recently completed a full access audit of the cathedral and grounds and have a five-year plan to implement its recommendations.
I hope you enjoy your visit to our cathedral and that we can assist you in any way we can.’
Support from Our Staff
Our welcome desk staff will be available during your visit, should you need assistance.
If you have any accessibility questions, please email us or call (00 353) 1 677 8099.
Please email us with any feedback and suggestions to improve accessibility at Christ Church.
We also convene an annual focus group, comprised of visitors and members of our congregation with a variety of accessibility requirements, to help us understand access issues. If you are interested in joining the group, please email us.
Planning Your Visit
If you would like to plan your visit at a quieter time, with less crowds and noise, please note that our busiest months are March to October and around Christmas.
Our quietest days of the week are usually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Page Menu
Requesting a Free Ticket
We offer all disabled visitors – and an accompanying carer or assistant – a free ticket to visit the cathedral. You can avail of this ticket when you arrive or book in advance.
If you require any assistance, please let us know upon arrival.
Wheelchairs
You can borrow a manual wheelchair free of charge from our welcome desk. We recommend booking this in advance.
Please email us or call (00 353) 1 6778099 to make a booking.
Assistance Dogs
Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are all welcome in the cathedral. Water for your dog is available outside the main entrance. We ask that dogs entering the building be kept on a leash.
Ear Defenders
You can borrow ear defenders from our welcome desk. We also offer quiet times for visitors who find a noisy environment challenging.
Seating
Fixed seating is available throughout the cathedral and crypt, and portable folding stools are also available by asking a member of staff.
Parking
There is no parking on the cathedral grounds. The nearest car park is Q Park Christchurch on Werburgh Street. There are disabled parking spaces near the pedestrian entrances of the car park, which is approximately 300 metres (985 feet) from the cathedral.
Pedestrian Access to the Main Cathedral and Crypt
You can access the main cathedral by the southwest door, which has a ramp. There are steps and uneven surfaces throughout our historic building. Steps have white markings, and handrails are provided where possible.
You can access the crypt via an internal flight of stairs with a handrail on one side, with 17 steps in total. The stairs measure 109 cm (43 inches) across at their narrowest point. These steps can be difficult for people with limited mobility.
Belfry
Our belfry is not wheelchair accessible. You can only access the belfry on a scheduled Tower Tour with a Christ Church guide via an 86-step, narrow, spiral stairway, divided into two flights, and across an open gangway.
Visitors must be 12 or older to access our belfry. It is not recommended for those with mobility issues, claustrophobia or a fear of heights and you must have flat shoes.
The entrance door to the belfry stairs measures 66 cm (26 inches) across at its narrowest point. The door to the gangway from the lower flight of stairs is the lowest and narrowest point of the ascent, measuring 52 cm (20 inches) across and 121 cm (48 inches) in height. The handrails on the stairs are not fixed and are made of rope.
Stairs down to the Crypt
Lower belfry stairs
Door to Gangway
Grounds
Our grounds are fully wheelchair accessible. Please use the main gate when you arrive.
Main gate
Approach path to Main Entrance across the grounds
Bollards at entrance to the Labyrinth
There are bollards at the entrance to the labyrinth, and the access between these bollards measures 76 cm (30 inches) at its widest point.
Our viewing platform is step-free, but there is only stepped access from the platform to the lower level.
Both our bone-conductor sound installation and tactile bronze model of the medieval cathedral, located on the viewing platform, offer step-free access.
Viewing Platform
Bone Conductor Sound Installation
Tactile Bronze Model
Main Entrance
Our main entrance, at the Southwest Door, has a ramp with handrails, giving access to the main cathedral.
Access to the transepts, Lady Chapel, and Chapel of St Laud at the east end of the cathedral is via a set of steps: two steps up and one step down. We will be trialling ramped access to the North Transept in the future.
Ramp at Main Entrance
Crypt
Currently our crypt is only accessible to wheelchairs through the St John’s Lane entrance, at the back of the cathedral.
This requires a detour of approximately 500 metres (1640 feet), part of which runs along a cobbled alleyway. Staff are happy to assist with this access.
Please ask at the welcome desk when you arrive. The bollards at the entrance to St John’s Lane measure 173 cm (69 inches) at their widest point. St John’s Lane door measures 89 cm (35 inches) at its narrowest point.
Our long-term plan, subject to funding, is to install a lift between the nave and the crypt to improve this access.
Cobbled alleyway leading to St John’s Lane entrance to Crypt showing bollards
St John’s Lane entrance door to Crypt
Visitors with Hearing Impairment
The cathedral is equipped with an Induction Loop. Hearing aid users should adjust their aid to ‘T’, and our Listening Bench in the crypt has a hearing loop-enabled handset.
We offer an audio guide in Irish Sign Language (ISL) tour of the cathedral and crypt, included with your admission, as well as ISL tours that are delivered in person.
Visitors with Visual Impairment
An audio-descriptive tour of the cathedral and crypt is included with your admission, available on our raised-button audio guide handsets.
The audio guide posts around the cathedral are equipped with braille numbers to aid navigation, and large print guides are available in English at the welcome desk.
We are also developing a touch tour of the cathedral, which will be available in 2026.
Large print guides are available in English at the Welcome Desk.
Accessible Toilets
There are four unisex toilet cubicles in the crypt, and Christ Church is in the process of designing and installing a new accessible toilet, with baby-changing facilities, which will be ready in 2027.
The nearest accessible toilets are in the Leonardo Hotel across Christ Church Place and Darkey Kelley’s Bar on Fishamble Street. The Leonardo staff are happy to welcome Christ Church visitors to use their facilities, and the cathedral staff can help you find them.
Attendance at Services
Please let one of our Vergers or cathedral staff know if you require assistance at one of our services.
There are designated wheelchair spaces available at all services, which staff can direct you to. Our service sheets are available in English in Large Print.
If you are unable to go to the altar for Communion during the Sunday Eucharist, please speak with one of our Vergers, who are dressed in black cassocks, before the service starts. They will be happy to help you.
All our services are available online via our webcam at via our webcam for those who cannot attend in person.
Attendance at Events
If you need assistance at one of our events, please email us or call 01 6778099. You can also let us know about any special requirements in the ‘Customer Online Checkout Comments’ section if you are making a booking on the cathedral website.
We aim to hold as many events as possible in accessible spaces and include accessibility information in our promotional materials. Events in our nave are fully wheelchair accessible. Events in our crypt are wheelchair accessible via our St John’s Lane entrance.
Events in the Henry Roe Room in the Chapter House are only accessible by a staircase of 26 steps. At the bottom of this staircase, there is a handrail on both sides. Towards the top of this staircase, there is only a handrail on one side.
Access to the Chapter House is also via an external set of two steps. A handrail will be installed on these steps shortly. The Chapter House door measures 91 cm at its narrowest point.
Stairs to the Henry Roe Room
External steps down to the Chapter House door
Access to Cathedral Offices
Access to our offices for business visitors is also via the external steps and the Chapter House.
Visiting Our Cathedral Shop
Our Cathedral shop is in the crypt and is accessible only via a set of 17 steps. The welcome desk staff are happy to bring any items from the shop up to the nave for you, on request.
A brochure of our most popular items is available to view at the Welcome Desk. An extensive range of items is also available to buy online.
Emergency and Medical Info
Emergency Services: Dial 112 or 999 and provide your precise location.
Nearest Hospital / Emergency Department:
St James’s Hospital, James’s St, Saint James, Dublin 8, D08 NHY1
Local GP / Medical Clinics:
Dublin City GP, The Meath Primary Care Centre, Heytesbury Street, Dublin 8, D08 HX97
Kilmainham Medical Centre, 632 South Circular Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, D08 HF80
Eldon Family Practice, Leonard’s Corner, 119 South Circular Road, Dublin 8, D08 VC0H
Pharmacy:
Reilly’s Pharmacy Thomas Street, Bertram Court, Cornmarket, Thomas St, The Liberties, Dublin, D08 WF96
Patrick Street Pharmacy, Ardilaun Court, Patrick St, The Liberties, Dublin 8
City Pharmacy Ltd, 14 Dame St, Dublin 2, D02 XH24