Few places in Dublin pack as much history into one site as the Magazine Fort, and now the landmark is back in business.
Following a major conservation project, the OPW has just reopened the 18th-century fortress in the Phoenix Park, inviting visitors to rediscover one of the capital’s most fascinating, and often overlooked, heritage sites.
Originally built as a gunpowder store, the fort has witnessed everything from military occupation to the events of the 1916 Rising before passing into OPW care in 1988.
The first phase of the €5.7 million restoration has repaired its ramparts, gunpowder stores and historic buildings, while also restoring the striking Duke of Dorset Gateway.
The project has already scooped both the 2026 RIAI Conservation Award and the Irish Construction Excellence Award for Heritage and Conservation, with more work planned to improve visitor access and interpretation.
Guided tours are now available through the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, making this the perfect excuse to delve into one of Dublin’s most remarkable hidden corners.
Better still, the forthcoming bridge linking the fort to the Irish National War Memorial Gardens promises to make this historic pocket of the city even more of a destination for visitors curious to learn even more about the city’s history.
Words: Martina Murray
