Kylemore’s Neo-Gothic Church — Attraction in County Galway

Kylemore’s Neo-Gothic Church: A "Cathedral in Miniature"

A Love Story in Stone Built between 1877–1881 by Mitchell Henry as a memorial to his wife Margaret, who died tragically in Egypt, this church is often called "Ireland’s Taj Mahal" for its romantic origins.

Designed by architect James Franklin Fuller, its delicate carvings of flowers, birds, and angels replace traditional Gothic gargoyles—a tribute to Margaret’s grace

Marble Marvel: Pillars of green Connemara, black Kilkenny, red Cork, and white Tyrone marble symbolize Ireland’s provinces, reflecting Margaret’s love for the country

Stained Glass: Depicts the "Five Graces" (Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Chastity)

Miniature Grandeur: Inspired by Westminster’s St. Stephen’s Chapel, its intricate Caen stone interiors and soaring arches astonish visitors

Currently it hosts choral recitals, weddings, and daily Masses in its serene space, gorgeous building with a history, intricacy and depth that's hard to fathom.

(p.s. you have no idea how long this took to research, a solid 6 hours, this building is incredible)

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Kylemore Abbey Church was built in 1881 in memory of Margaret Henry. It is sometimes referred to as Ireland’s Taj Mahal. Margaret Henry was the beloved wife of Mitchell Henry, the son of a wealthy Manchester cotton merchant who built the nearby Kylemore Castle as his dream home in 1871. Margaret tragically died in 1874 while on a family holiday in Egypt. She had fallen ill with dysentery and died within 16 days of contracting the disease aged only 45. Her remains were brought back to Kylemore and laid to rest in the Mausoleum on the grounds. Mitchell wanted to show his love that would last through time. He commissioned James Franklin Fuller who was working at Ashford Castle at the time to design it. The church is described as a ‘cathedral in miniature’ and the interior resembles the inside of The Chapel of St Stephen’s at Westminster. It used different colors of marble from all 4 provinces of Ireland and the interior is made of cream sandstone. Around the walls are smiling angels and exquisite stone carvings. The stained glass window depicts the five graces; Fortitude, Faith, Charity, Hope,...

Between the gardens and the Abbey, this place was well worth the euros. It was pretty educational, too, as the Abbey itself has various plaques describing the history of the grounds. It even has a short film showing in one of the rooms that switches between languages based on the time of day. Unfortunately, most of the areas and rooms were all roped off, so the Abbey itself was a short visit. Walking to the Abbey, however, was probably the best part of the visit itself. Take your time while strolling to the church -- it's a long walk there and back, but we loved every...