How the Phoenix Park looked 200 years ago
THEY WAY WE WERE: This 19th century painting of the Phoenix Park shows a greener Dublin with the city in the distance
THIS pictures give an insight into how the Phoenix Park appeared hundreds of years ago. A new illustrated book of Europe's largest city park focuses on its history, landscape and management up until 1880.
Readers will be thrilled with the illustrations in the book, by Dr John A McCullen.
A view of Dublin from the park, painted in the 19th century, shows a greener Dublin with a much smaller city in the distance.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Phoenix Park was badly neglected, with poor drainage and bad roads.
Decimus Burton, a renowned architect and landscape architect, stepped up to the challenge of making the park reach its potential and bringing change.
The book was launched by minister Martin Mansergh, who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works.
"The need to research the landscape history and management of the Phoenix Park became apparent to John when he was preparing the first management plan for the Phoenix Park in 1986. Little had been written and that relied on earlier secondary sources with little new material being added," Mr Mansergh said.
jlast@herald.ie
- Jane Last
