Belvedere House, Dublin

Belvedere House
Belvedere House in 2011
Interactive map of the Belvedere House area
Alternative namesBelvedere House
General information
TypeSchool administrative building and museum
LocationGreat Denmark Street, Ireland
Coordinates53°21′20″N 6°15′43″W / 53.35544°N 6.26202°W / 53.35544; -6.26202
Groundbreaking1765
Completed1786
Design and construction
ArchitectsRobert West, Michael Stapleton (Interior stucco work)
References
[1]

Belvedere House is a historic townhouse located on Great Denmark Street bookending North Great George's Street in Dublin, Ireland. It was built by George Rochfort, 2nd Earl of Belvedere between 1775 and 1786 at a cost of £24,000.[2] The design and stucco of the interior ceilings was carried out by Michael Stapleton, a leading stuccodor and craftsman of his time.[3] In 1841 it became a Jesuit college which houses the school Belvedere College.[4]

It is allegedly haunted by the ghost of Rochfort's mother, Mary Molesworth, 1st Lady of Belvedere, who died there.[5]

Belvedere House is located near the Garden of Remembrance and James Joyce Centre.[6]

Building

The building is a detached symmetrical 5-bay, 4-storey over basement structure which was refaced in red brick in the 1950s. It has a rusticated portland stone facade to the raised basement level. The balustrade of the first floor level is also faced in portland stone while there is a granite parapet and frieze over the top floor.

References

  1. ^ "Dictionary of Irish Architects". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Belvedere College, 6 Denmark Street Great, Dublin, DUBLIN". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ Lucey, Conor (2007). The Stapleton Collection: Designs for the Irish neoclassical interior. Tralee: Churchill Press. ISBN 978-0-9550246-2-7.
  4. ^ "A Tour-de-Force". The Irish Aesthete. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  5. ^ Hopkins, Frank (2003). Rare Old Dublin: Heroes, Hawkers & Hoors. Mercier Press Ltd. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-86023-154-4.
  6. ^ "Take a walking tour around Dublin with these 10 landmarks from Irish novels". stuff.co.nz. 3 September 2019.