Ireland, Dublin. Flag of Ireland - photo. Dublin - attractions

In Northern Europe, there is an amazing in its beauty country - Ireland. Dublin is the capital of the republic. The city is located on the site of the confluence of the river. Lofiya in Dublin Bay, which is located in the Irish Sea. Its area is one hundred and fifteen square kilometers. The city of Dublin is the main port of the country, in addition, it plays the role of the center of political, economic and cultural life of the state.

History of origin of the name

It is believed that the word "Dublin" appeared as a result of the merger of two Irish words - "dubh" and "linn", which translate as "creek" and "black". However, some researchers question this version, suggesting that the name of the capital was formed from the Scandinavian phrase "djup lind" - "deep creek". However, the majority of historians and linguists think the first variant more plausible.

How do modern Irish people call their city in their native language? Baile Átha Cliath. In translation, this means "settlement at the ford". This long name is often replaced with the abbreviation YOU. In the modern city, a mixed Anglo-Irish version of the name is used along with the originally Irish.

Historical background

Is it an ancient country - Ireland? Dublin, for example, in 140 BC was already a fully formed Celtic settlement with a monastery. Later it became the mainstay of the Scandinavian kingdom on the island. In 902, the Vikings were expelled from Dublin together with the indigenous inhabitants, but the rebellious Scandinavians returned to the inhabited lands in 917. In 1014 the Battle of Clontarfe took place, during which the Celts, under the leadership of their King Brian Bor, defeated the Vikings. The defeated party adhered to the peaceful policy of agreements and alliances, thanks to which the Vikings ruled on their lands for the next three centuries.

Middle Ages

In 1169, the invasion of the troops of Henry II Plantagenet Ireland. Dublin as a result of the victory of the conquerors became the mainstay of the British authorities. Thanks to the recognition of the Pope, Henry II became the Lord of Ireland and proclaimed the above-mentioned inhabited place royal. This happened in 1171. Then the Anglo-Norman conquerors began to actively absorb the peculiarities of local culture, learn Irish customs and language. Since then, close, though not always simple, relations between the Irish and the English have begun.

Colonization

The Tudor dynasty sought to have the whole of Ireland subordinate to it. Dublin as the main city of the island was of special interest.

In 1592, thanks to the efforts of Queen Elizabeth the First, the college "Trinity" was founded in the capital. He was a Protestant school for the Irish nobility. The richest clans of Dublin refused to teach their children there. Instead, the wealthy scions of the local nobility were sent to Catholic schools on the continent.

Subsequently, the British authorities made a number of changes in order to impose their demands on the Catholic majority. For this reason, the so-called new Englishmen formed the backbone in the administration of the country. This state of affairs was observed until the nineteenth century.

In the 1640s, thousands of Protestants moved to Dublin. The capital was on the verge of an uprising. The unrest was avoided, but Catholics remained in the minority.

Physico-geographical features

Modern Dublin is divided into two approximately equal halves - the southern and northern - by the River Liffey. It flows from west to east and flows into the Irish Sea. The river has long been perceived as an obstacle due to strong swampiness on the western stretch and in the estuary. For several centuries this problem was solved thanks to the filling of marshes and the serious strengthening of the embankments. Currently, there is a tendency to increase the water level of Liffey.

Climatic characteristics

Is the favorable climate of Dublin different? The capital is characterized by insignificant temperature changes, mild winters and cool summers. It is warmer in June and July. The amount of rainfall in Dublin is about half that in West Ireland, and it is the same as in London. Most rains come in August and December. The driest weather, as a rule, in April. The average annual precipitation is 762 mm. This is less than, for example, in New York, Sydney or Dallas.

The geographical map of Dublin makes it possible to see that the city is at a high latitude. For this reason, the capital in the summer can be light to nineteen hours a day, and in the winter - only up to nine.

The city is one of the safest in terms of natural disasters. He is not afraid of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. In Dublin sometimes break into strong and gusty winds, but other cities in Ireland suffer from them much more.

Specialists have revealed slight temperature differences between the center and the outskirts of the capital. So, in the heart of the city two or three degrees warmer. The coldest of all in December, January and February. In the period from November to April, snow may fall, but it usually melts after four to five days. Thunderstorms are rare, usually in summer.

System of power

The city is governed by the Dublin City Council. It is a representative body. Elections of its members are held every five years. Representatives of both the society and political parties can apply to the Council. It is the largest municipal authority in the whole of Ireland. The Council is engaged in making amendments to the draft laws, controls the city budget. In addition, in the area of his attention - the quality of roads, water, health. The key figure of this body is the City Manager. The central apparatus is located in a building on the southern embankment of the river. Liffey near the center of the capital.

Economy, infrastructure

The new millennium brought with it a significant increase in the welfare of the inhabitants of the Republic of Ireland. Dublin (photos of this beautiful city are presented in the article) in this regard was no exception. Now it takes the sixteenth place in the ranking of the most expensive cities in the world. At the same time, salaries here are also among the highest.

The main branch of the city for several centuries now is brewing. The widely known foam drink Guinness has been brewed in Dublin since 1759. Currently, the capital has a number of production associations that specialize in the production of pharmaceutical products. In addition, the most famous companies engaged in information technology, also have their offices in Dublin and the suburbs. Among such giants are Google, Microsoft, PayPal, Amazon and Yahoo !. Firms Hewlett Packard and Intel own large factories in the county of Kidler, located fifteen kilometers west of the capital.

Recently, the banking industry has been steadily strengthening in the economy of Dublin. Thus, the branches of Commerzbank and Citibank function successfully in the city.

During the economic boom, construction intensified, and today this sphere is considered to be the main source of jobs. Nevertheless, in 2007, Dubliners faced the problem of unemployment due to the fact that the supply was outstripping demand in the labor market. Today, industrialized areas of the city are actively being developed, and more and more structures of different directions are appearing there. Among the plans for the near future - the construction of the subway.

There are four institutions of higher education in the city. The most famous of them is Dublin University, it is also the oldest.

The sphere of culture

Dublin is the birthplace of many talented people. The whole world knows about the famous natives of this city. Among them are Samuel Beckett, JB Shaw and William Butler Yeats, Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde, as well as Bram Stoker. However, most of all Dublin became famous thanks to the work of James Joyce. He is one of the founders of modernism in literary works. You can even see a writer wearing a fifty-pound note. Joyce's works are filled with entertaining details from the lives of his contemporaries living in Dublin.

The State Museum of Heraldry was opened in the capital. It was founded more than a hundred years ago - in 1908, and is one of the oldest museums on the planet of similar themes. No less interesting to visit is the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Dublin. The city's attractions

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the largest of these buildings in Ireland. At one time, his rector was the famous John Swift, famous for his work called "Gulliver's Travels."

Dublin Castle is currently the location of the island government. He was built on the orders of King John the Landless to protect against the raids of the Normans. The castle is open to tourists if it does not hold important government meetings.

The Dublin Needle is the architectural dominant of the city. This monument can be seen from almost all points of the capital. The design of the "Needle" is the simplest: a steel spire gradually tapering upward by 121 meters.

The territory of the Dublin Botanical Garden is truly impressive: on twenty-five hectares there are more than twenty thousand different representatives of the flora from all over the planet. This place is respectfully called the green heart of the city of Dublin.

The sights of the capital do not end here. A favorite place for walking, Dublinians invariably call the Garden of Memories. There is a memorial in memory of those who gave their lives for the well-being and independence of the island. Despite the deplorable reason for the occurrence, this place is filled with life-affirming natural splendor.

In the local zoo you can admire both common local animals and rare species of fauna. It is noteworthy that the staff of this institution fully supports the imitation of the most natural habitat of their wards.

Ways of movement

The metropolitan transport network is represented by high-speed electric trains and buses. The price of the ticket varies depending on the duration of the trip and ranges between 1.65-4.3 euros. On sale there are tickets valid both in trains and in buses. As a rule, the work of public transport starts at six in the morning and ends at half past eleven. On holidays, this period can be extended by the decision of the local administration.

Connectivity

The communication system of the city meets all the most stringent standards and criteria. In many metropolitan telephone machines, along with coins, you can pay with a bank card. However, calls on special phone cards are much cheaper, they can be purchased at large stores, at all newsstands and at gas stations.

Mobile communication in the whole island operates according to the GSM standard. Thanks to this, roaming services are available to most foreign guests. An alternative is to purchase an Irish SIM card. The most popular local operators are O2 and Vodafone.

You can go to the World Wide Web in any major branch of communication or in an Internet cafe.

State Symbol

The flag of Ireland (photo can be seen below) is a cloth consisting of three bands. They are painted in the following colors: white in the center, green at the pole edge, orange at the free edge. At the same time, the first color symbolizes peaceful relations between the faiths, the second - Catholics, the third - Protestants. For the first time this flag acted as a national symbol in 1916. Then he was raised above the metropolitan post office during the celebration of Easter.

Dublin time

Every year the country switches to summer time. The arrows are shifted one hour forward. Thus, there is a deviation from the time for Greenwich for sixty minutes. In 2014, the transition occurred on March 30, and on October 26 Dublin residents will transfer the hands of their watches an hour ago.

Conclusion

Above, the capital of such a beautiful European country as Ireland was described in detail. Map of the island, flag and attractions are displayed above in the pictures. We hope that the virtual journey helped you to form an idea about this city.