The Casino built in 1762 and located 3 miles northeast of Dublin city center is an architectural gem. Ireland's first and "most important Neo-Classical building" was designed by Sir William Chambers as a garden pavillion for the Marino estate of the Earl of Charlemont, James Caulfield, of which it is now the only surviving part. Chambers had intended his design as an end pavillion for Harewood House in Yorkshire, England and never visited Ireland. I didn't have time to tour the interior, though I found this building to offer plenty from the outside. The urns on the roof were once functional chimneys and the freestanding columns were hollowed out to conduct rainwater.
This lion has such a pleasant look on its face I found it to be almost adorable. The whole building has an air of charm and certainly would have brought smiles to the faces of its guests.
