The story
This is the heart of Georgian Dublin — the long straight run of Fitzwilliam Street with its famous doorways once formed Europe's longest unbroken line of Georgian houses. As you look down this vista today, you are seeing the zenith of 18th-century urban planning. Take a moment to appreciate the rhythm of the street.
It is a cadence of red brick, white sash windows, and those iconic, colorful doors that have become a symbol of Dublin across the world. This area was developed by the Fitzwilliam family, who transformed what was once marshy ground into one of the most prestigious addresses in the British Empire. In the 1700s, Dublin was the second city of the Empire, and these houses were built to reflect that status.
Note the strict uniformity. The height of the roofs, the placement of the windows, and the texture of the brickwork were all governed by rigorous building codes to ensure a sense of harmonious grandeur. If you look closely at the windows, you will notice they get smaller as the house gets taller.
This was a clever trick of perspective, making the houses appear even more imposing from the street level. The ground floors, with their deep granite steps and heavy iron railings, were the stage for the city's elite. Inside, these homes were filled with ornate stucco plasterwork and the scent of expensive beeswax, while the basements hummed with the labor of dozens of servants.
However, the street has its scars. In the mid-1960s, a long section of these original houses was demolished to make way for a modern office block for the Electricity Supply Board. At the time, it was one of the greatest architectural controversies in Irish history.
It ended the "longest unbroken line," but it also ignited a passion for conservation that saved much of the rest of the city. One cannot walk this street without discussing the doors. While the houses were meant to be uniform, the owners expressed their individuality through their fanlights and the vibrant colors of their entrances.
A popular local legend claims that the writers George Moore and Oliver St. John Gogarty, who lived nearby, started the trend. Supposedly, one painted his door green so the other wouldn’t stumble into it while drunk, and the other painted his red in retaliation.
Whether true or not, the tradition stuck. As you continue your journey, keep an eye out for the original boot scrapers built into the stone beside the steps—a reminder of a time when these streets were navigated by horse and carriage. Fitzwilliam Street remains a living monument to Dublin’s Golden Age, standing as a testament to a time when the city was a capital of elegance, intellect, and ambition.
Enjoy the walk, and let the echoes of the 18th century follow you.