The Casino at Marino is a small summer or pleasure house, located in Marino, Dublin, Ireland. Sometimes erroneously described as a

folly In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of usual garden buildings. Eighteenth-cent ...

, it was designed by Scottish architect William Chambers for James Caulfeild, the 1st Earl of Charlemont,Casino, Marino on the Heritage Ireland website
starting in the late 1750s and finishing around 1775.
It is a good example of

Neo-Classical architecture Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

, situated in the gardens of

Marino House Marino House and gardens was a Georgian house and estate in Marino, Dublin, Marino in the northern suburbs of Dublin, Ireland constructed sometime around 1755 and later remodeled by William Chambers (architect), William Chambers for James Caulfeil ...

. Although proud of the design, Chambers was never able to visit the completed building, as he was constantly employed in England.

Name

The name 'Casino' is the diminutive form of the 18th-century Italian word 'Casa' meaning 'House', thus 'Little House', and is not used in the modern sense of "gambling establishment". After his 9-year

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tut ...

of Italy and Greece, Caulfield was taken with all things Italian, and decided to add a 'little house' to his estate, which he had already named after the town of Marino in Lazio.

Context and history

The Casino is all that remains of Lord Charlemont's eighteenth-century demesne at Marino. There had also been another ornamental building, extensive gardens and the main

(which was demolished in the 1920s). Described by Charles T. Bowden in his Travel Guide of 1791 as a 'terrestrial paradise', the design of the landscape was inspired by Lord Charlemont's extensive Grand Tour. The grounds included a lake and small streams, and at least one tunnel. The estate was sold to the Archdiocese of Dublin under Cardinal Cullen, and later the bulk of it was sold on to the

Irish Christian Brothers The Congregation of Christian Brothers ( la, Congregatio Fratrum Christianorum; abbreviated CFC) is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. Their first school was opened in Waterford, Ireland, ...

, with a portion (39 acres) retained for the

O'Brien Institute The O'Brien Institute is a building complex in Marino, Dublin, Ireland. Built in 1880–1883 as an orphan home and school, the purchase of the land, and building costs, were financed by a trust that was founded by the will of Bridget O'Brien ...

, a school and residence for male orphans. The tunnel at the Casino was used as a shooting range by Irish revolutionaries including

Michael Collins Michael Collins or Mike Collins most commonly refers to: * Michael Collins (Irish leader) (1890–1922), Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician * Michael Collins (astronaut) (1930–2021), American astronaut, member of Apollo 11 and Ge ...

in the 1920s. In the 1960s, a field attached to the O'Brien Institute was given to the

Sisters of Nazareth The Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth, until recently known as the Poor Sisters of Nazareth, are a Roman Catholic apostolic congregation of religious sisters of pontifical right, based in London, England. Members live in "Nazareth Houses" i ...

for the construction of

Nazareth House Nazareth House, also known as St. Andrew's Parish House, is a historic building in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a three-story, brick institutional building built in 1893 and enlarged in 1911. The original section is a ...

, a residential home for the elderly. Archbishop John McQuaid organised the transfer of the land, and construction began on the new home months before planning permission was granted. The development was a significant encroachment on the views of the Casino.

Design

Widely regarded as one of the most important Neo-Classical building in Ireland, the Casino is actually quite small, measuring only fifty feet square to the outer columns. In plan, it takes the form of a

Greek Cross The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity. A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a ''crucifix'' and the figure is often referred to as the ''corpus'' (La ...

with a pair of columns framing each projecting elevation. Seen from the outside, the building has the appearance of a single roomed structure, with a large panelled door on the north elevation and a single large window on each of the other elevations. This is all illusion, however, as it actually contains 16 rooms on three floors. Only two of the panels in the door open to allow entrance, and the panes of glass in the windows are subtly curved, disguising the partitioning which allows what looks like a single window to serve several separate rooms. Many other tricks are used throughout the construction to preserve the apparent simplicity of the design. Four of the columns which surround the building are hollow and, with a length of chain dangling in each, allow rainwater to drain down. The Roman

funerary urn An urn is a vase, often with a cover, with a typically narrowed neck above a rounded body and a footed pedestal. Describing a vessel as an "urn", as opposed to a vase or other terms, generally reflects its use rather than any particular shape or ...

s on the roof (designed by

James Gandon James Gandon (20 February 1743 – 24 December 1823) was an English architect best known for his work in Ireland during the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House and the surrounding Beresford ...

) are used as chimneys. The interior, by Simon Vierpyl, includes a basement level with a kitchen and associated rooms, a main floor with reception rooms and a top storey with servants' rooms and a State Bedroom. One of the rooms includes the Blue Salon. It includes a wooden parquet floor, with the Star of David in the centre, stucco work on the ceiling and a white marble fireplace. It contains some very fine plasterwork ceilings and some elaborate hardwood parquet floors. Originally the Casino was linked to Marino House by a tunnel, although this has been blocked off due to building works in the area. Casino_lion.jpg, Stone lion File:Casino_Marino_016.JPG, Carved cow's skull with garland Casino_Marino_detail.jpg, Tympanum with egg-and-dart and dentition File:Casino_Marino_dog's_gravestone.jpg, Gravestone of "Neptune", a dog File:Casinomarinoentrance.jpg, Stone vase with sheep design File:Dublin_-_Casino_at_Marino_-_20130330154057.jpg, Ceiling of the Blue Salon File:Casinomarinovestibule2.jpg, Vestibule

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Casino At Marino Buildings and structures in Dublin (city) Folly buildings in the Republic of Ireland William Chambers buildings National Monuments in County Dublin Tourist attractions in Dublin (city)