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Sights I saw while in Bhaile Átha Cliath (City of Dublin), 4. - 12. july 2004

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"The Millenium Spire" or "The Spire" or "The Spike" or "The Stiletto in the Ghetto" or "The Stiffie by the Liffey"

The Spire of Dublin, a brand new 120 metre high landmark in the heart of Dublin City, was unveiled in 2002.

The huge, striking, and innovative monument stands in the middle of O'Connell Street just across from the famous GPO. During daylight, the light of Ireland's sky over Dublin, the streetscape and its people is softly reflected in the stainless steel surface of the Spire.

From its base up to about 10m, the stainless steel is partially polished in an abstract design to provide a slightly higher reflective surface than the remainder of the Spire.

From dusk, the Spire’s stainless steel surface is softly lit by the ambient lighting of the streetscape. The base is gently lit and the tip illuminated from a light source within to provide a beacon in the night sky over Dublin. The Spire has its roots in the ground and its light in the sky.

120 metres high and 3 metres in diameter at the base, the Spire rises above O’Connell Street, breaking above the roof line with as slender and elegant a movement as is technically possible. It is approximately 15 centimetres in diameter at its apex

The upper part of the Spire sways gently when the wind blows, reflecting the character of the citys climate. The monument's tip can sway up to a maximum of 1.5m under extreme wind loading - don't be too alarmed if you're nearby when this happens, all tall slender structures move in the wind, even lamp posts!

© 2004 Kjell Arnesen