Just 20 km from Dublin is one of Ireland’s most beautiful areas, the Powerscourt Estate. Full of natural beauties and a beautiful palace from the 13th century, the place has been the scene of some movies and series. With beautiful gardens and plenty of history to tell, this is a must-see in Ireland. The highlight is the Powerscourt waterfall, the highest waterfall in the country, with 121 meters.
As one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Ireland Powerscourt House, in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, enchants with the beauty of its gardens, history and privileged location. To give you an idea, its green area totals more than 190 thousand square meters, that is, an area larger than 23 official soccer fields.
Built in the 13th century, the site underwent several changes until reaching its current configuration, ending in the 90s, with minor adaptations since then.
If you like history and beautiful green landscapes, the tour is a must for you.
With a large modern structure, the palace is an impressive place. If you like taking photos and posting on social networks, then the place is a “full plate” for you.
History
Strategically positioned for military purposes, the palace was originally inhabited by a man named La Poer. Possibly, its name was adapted to English, giving rise to the name Power, which baptizes the property.
The original structure totaled 68 rooms, with the main entrance measuring 18 meters long by 12 meters wide. Currently, only two original rooms can be visited by tourists. The other rooms either function as shops or are closed to visitors.
In 1844, the seventh Viscount Powerscourt inherited the site when he was just eight years old. At the time, the place was a little bigger, with about 8 thousand square meters more. At the age of 21, he carried out extensive renovations on the site, increasing the built-up area and the garden, which took 20 years to complete.
The landscaping was inspired by the gardens of the palaces of Versailles, France, Schönbrunn, Austria, and Schloss Schwetzingen, Germany. The gardens are adorned with beautiful gates that were taken from England, Germany and Italy.
In 1974 a fire condemned the entire structure of the palace, requiring complete restructuring of the site, which was only reopened in 1996.
Is Powerscourt worth visiting?
In addition to the beautiful palace, which has already received the honor of being the most beautiful residence in Ireland, the gardens enchant visitors.
Italian Garden
The Italian garden offers a beautiful landscape, with a differentiated landscaping. It took 12 years of exhausting work by approximately 100 men working to give the place a unique and symmetrical look. The Italian garden path leads to the beautiful Lake Triton.
The Italian terrace was inspired by Vila Butera, Sicily, Italy. Here are some statues taken from different parts of Europe.
Lake Triton, inspired by Piazza Barberini in Rome, has the most emblematic statues of the place, two winged horses that “protect” the lake.
Passing by the Italian garden and Lake Triton, walking to the left, you arrive at the charming Japanese garden. Built on a former swamp area, the site is now dominated by beautiful flowers and plants. Highlight for the azaleas, which open in spring characterizing and fragrant the environment.
The area is decorated with floor lanterns and beautiful Japanese bridges. From here, you can also reach the beautiful grotto of the property, a romantic and stunning place.
Animal Cemetery
To the right of Lake Triton is the Animal Cemetery, a charming and curious place. Don’t worry that it’s a morbid place, as its beautiful flowers, trees and impeccable landscaping make the place inviting.
Tower Valley
The tower located to the left of the Italian garden offers a unique view of the site. Here some scenes from The Tudors series were recorded.
In addition to the structure, which, curiously, was inspired by a pepper tree, the area where this tower is located has beautiful trees. It is estimated that there are more than 250 different species for visitors to observe.
The waterfall
The highlight of the visit, without a doubt, is the Powerscourt waterfall. However, to get there it takes a walk of approximately 25 minutes.
For you to enjoy the area, a complete structure is at your disposal, such as bathrooms, picnic area, first aid station, parking and even a sensory park.
Other equipment
The Powerscourt Estate area also houses a golf course, a distillery, restaurant, café and a hotel nearby. Therefore, you will find enough attractions to even come back here more than once.
When and how to visit
To get to Powerscourt from Dublin, you can take bus lines 44 from Hawkins Street. However, from the bus stop to the residence you will need to walk about twenty minutes.
You can also take the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to the town of Bray and then take bus 185 bound for Enniskerry.
There are also taxi options and apps to go directly to the place.
Access tickets to Powerscourt are sold in several categories. To visit the gardens, the main attraction of the place, the price per adult is $11.5 Euros (verified in August 2022). The visit to the waterfall costs $6.5 Euros per adult.
However, there are some benefits for groups and families. These details are available on the Powerscourt website.
Some attractions, such as the waterfall visit, are available at certain times of the year, so it’s good to always find out about what’s on at the time you want to visit the Powerscourt Estate.
All information is available on ‘s official website the residence
