O ne of the grandest pieces of architecture in the city, Custom House stands today as a monument to classical architecture. With its central dome, and spreading wings punctuated by columns and galleries, it takes on the appearance of a national capitol. It's a fitting analogy since this was the first large public building erected in Ireland, and is considered one of the country's most important buildings.
In 1707, the first Custom House was built upriver at Essex Quay by Thomas Burgh. Within 70 years, his building was deemed inadequate and unstable. A new site was found on land reclaimed from the Liffey River. The building served its function for more than a hundred years, until 1921. During the Irish Civil War, the Irish Republican Army set the building alight. It burned for five days, completely gutting the interior and destroying the dome. When the building was reconstructed, a different kind of stone was used for the drum which supports the dome, so it is slightly darker than the rest of the building.
