Dublin is home to the Spire, a 120-metre stainless-steel monument completed in 2003.
Officially called the Monument of Light, the Spire stands on O’Connell Street in the center of Dublin. It replaced the Nelson’s Pillar monument, which was destroyed by a bomb in 1966. The Dublin Corporation commissioned the new landmark through a competition won by Ian Ritchie Architects.
The tapering structure consists of a narrow, conical stainless-steel shaft. Its diameter is about 3 metres at the base but only 15 centimetres at the tip. The polished surface reflects changing daylight and city lights, giving it a different appearance in varying weather.
The Spire is among the world’s tallest free-standing sculptures. Its location on O’Connell Street places it near the General Post Office, a major site during the 1916 Easter Rising.