Powerscourt

Powerscourt Estate in Enniskerry, County Wicklow is located just south of County Dublin. The estate has fast become one of Ireland’s best-loved tourist attractions as it is home to a stunning country estate home and landscaped gardens, two championship golf courses, a waterfall and a 5 star luxury hotel.

The house on the grounds was originally a castle that was built in the 13th century but don’t expect to see a ‘typical’ castle structure when you visit. Over the years, its construction has changed many times and after a fire in the 1970’s, it had to be almost completely rebuilt. Evidence of Palladian architecture still remains however, and it can be seen in the buildings’ façade which features domed towers at either end.

Today, the Slazenger family owns the very impressive Powerscourt House. Think that name rings a bell? That’s because they are the same Slazenger family behind the huge Slazenger line of sporting goods. Two rooms in the house are open to viewing by the general public while several retail units occupy the ground floor and the first floor of the building. Tara’s Museum of Childhood is a particularly fascinating occupant of space within the Powerscourt Estate. This museum features a host of dollhouses, dolls and toys from eras gone by.

The Lonely Planet has previously voted Powerscourt House as one of the top 10 houses in the world so you can just imagine how remarkable it is to see this structure in person.

The house might look familiar to you because it has featured in several classic films over the years. The “Count of Monte Cristo” was filmed there in 2002 and the estate also featured in the very brilliant “Barry Lyndon”. Scenes from “David Copperfield”, “The League of Gentleman’s Apocalypse”, “Where’s Jack”, and “Excalibur” were also shot at the Powerscourt Estate.

As impressive as the house is, the gardens are equally, if not even more, spectacular. The landscaped gardens originally took 20 years to design and complete back in the 1800’s and they occupy a whopping 47 acres of land. There are several key attractions among the grounds including the stone Tower Valley Japanese gardens, The Pepperpot Tower, Triton Lake, Dolphin Pond, walled gardens, Bamberg Gate and the Italian Gardens. Hours on end could be spent strolling through this magnificent display of landscaping design, and if gardening is one of your passions, you’ll be amazed at your surroundings.

Powerscourt is also home to the largest waterfall in Ireland, Powerscourt Waterfall. It is 121 metres tall and is a stunning sight to behold, for visitors of all ages.

Powerscourt Golf Club, located on the estate itself, is home to championship golf courses making it a very popular spot for avid golfers. The two courses are both par 72 and 18 hole courses and the Irish PGA Championship was played at the East Course in 1998. Powerscourt Golf Club is famed for offering one of the finest golfing experiences that Ireland has to offer.

And if that’s not enough to tickle your taste buds, the estate has the most stunning backdrop in the form of the Sugarloaf Mountains. Between the house, museums, gardens, golf course and the waterfall, the area offers some amazing photograph opportunities and there really is something for everyone to enjoy. With so much to offer visiting tourists, Powerscourt is a great choice of location for a day trip on your travels.