It was only ever meant to be temporary. The Papal Cross went up in Phoenix Park for Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1979, a tall cross of steel girders put up to give the pope something to stand beneath while he said Mass. On the day, 29 September 1979, a vast crowd filled the park to hear him. Then the crowds went home, and the cross, which was supposed to come down, stayed up.
A cross that was never taken down
The steelwork was raised on 14 September 1979, a fortnight before the pope arrived, after several attempts. It was designed by Scott Tallon Walker Architects and built by John Sisk & Sons. That it is still standing is largely down to Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who intervened to keep it, with Dublin Corporation formally approving its retention in 1981.
The cross came back to the world’s screens on 26 August 2018, when Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the same spot.
What to see
Up close, it is honestly just a very large cross: a plain Latin cross with a single crossbar, despite the three-barred ‘papal cross’ it is named after. Its power is in the setting and the scale – a stark white line against the sky above an open meadow, best seen at sunrise or sunset. On a clear day the high ground gives you views across the park and towards the city.
The meadow around it is a good place in the park to see the wild fallow deer that have roamed Phoenix Park since it was laid out as a royal hunting park in the 1660s. Keep your distance, do not feed them, and do not approach – they are wild, and they will bolt.
Getting there
The cross stands in the middle of Phoenix Park and is an outdoor stop on a longer park walk. The park’s visitor information lists Dublin Bus route 99 from Parkgate Street and a car park beside the cross. Check current gate and parking hours before setting out.
- By car: there is a car park beside the cross. Check current parking hours before you go.
- By public transport: Heuston Station is a short walk from the Parkgate Street entrance, and the park’s visitor information lists Dublin Bus route 99 from Parkgate Street. Check the park’s directions page for current services.
- Facilities: there are none at the cross itself. The visitor centre near Ashtown Castle is a separate stop for facilities.
- Access: access across the meadow varies with the weather. Stay on paths where provided.
Do not make a special trip for the cross alone, as there is not much to it once you have stood underneath and taken the photo. Fold it into a longer walk instead: the Wellington Monument, the People’s Gardens, or a coffee at the visitor centre. Go near sunset, when the white steel catches the last of the light, and it is worth the ten minutes.