The Dublin Spire | Sightseeing Dublin

You’ll never hear a dubliner refer to it as “the Monument of Light”, to dubs it is simply the Spire. Nelson's Pillar was destroyed by a bomb in 1966 and left behind was a vacant space, that was until the Millennium was approaching and the idea of erecting a spire in that spot developed.

The monument was commissioned as part of O'Connell Streets layout redesign in 1999. The street had seen a great decline following the destruction in 1966 of Nelson's Pillar following a bombing by former IRA members.There had been a proliferation of cheap plastic shop fronts along with the existence of derelict sites.

When completed, it became known as the Millenium spire, often known as the "Monument of Light.” It is a large, stainless steel, pin-like monument at 121.2 metres high Its base has a diameter of 3 metres and the point at the top is only 15cm in diameter.

Ian Ritchie Architects designed it. It was built in sections, the first being installed in 2002, later additional 20 m sections were added with the last one installed January, 2003. The monument's tip can sway up to a maximum of 1.5m under extreme wind loading.

It does have a pattern around the base, based on a core sample of earth and rock formation taken from the ground where the spire stands. At dusk, the base of the monument is lit and the top 10 m (33 ft) is illuminated through 11,884 holes through which light-emitting diodes shine.

As it can be seen from a long way, it's a good place for meeting others and for getting your bearings so you don't get lost.