Kerry church ranks with Eiffel Tower as one of the 'coolest constructions' on the planet
The famously watertight Gallarus Oratory on the Dingle Peninsula is listed beside the world’s greatest feats of architecture in a new book called
The stone church, which is thought could date to somewhere between the 7th and 15th century, is completely made of stone and resembles an upturned boat.
The Lonely Planet explained why this “humble bothy” made it into a book of cloud-piercing skyscrapers and iconic sites like the Chrysler Building in New York.
“In its frugal stone and story of early Christianity, it’s an icon of northern European building,” said the travel giant.
“Often compared to an upturned boat it’s satisfyingly simple, a dry-stone church with an entrance and an east window. Both its date and its use are contested by historians, but nothing detracts from the Oratory’s pleasing simplicity. The mysterious building is the highlight of the breath-taking Slea Head drive along the Atlantic coast outside Dingle.”
It is thought to have been built from cut stone brought from the nearby cliff-face which perfectly fit together keeping out the rain which pelts in from the Atlantic.
It is located in the stunning Slea Head peninsula which has featured in a string of hit movies including Far and Away, starring Nicola Kidman and Tom Cruise.
Other famous landmarks in the Lonely Planet book include the Roman Baths in Bath, the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, Russia and the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies.
This book reveals 120 of the world’s great human constructions, and where to see them.
Spectacular sights that attract visitors from around the world in the architectural grand tour also include the sprawling temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
The book says people often travel to see famous buildings.
“When we travel it’s often to see a building because buildings are endlessly intriguing: things of beauty, symbols of their age and emblems of human endeavour.”
