Old entrance to Muckross House Killarney

The view here is quite wonderful and, because of that, this entrance to Muckross House was constructed for the royal visit of Queen Victoria in 1861. (Be sure to check out our immersive panorama taken from here in winter.)
The Queen's visit placed Killarney firmly on the Victorian tourist map. However, the cost of hosting the Queen led to the financial ruin of the owners of Muckross House. For her part, Queen Victoria apparently enjoyed her four days in Killarney and there was even mention of building a royal palace here due to its similarity to Scotland, a place close to the Queen's heart. This never came to pass as Albert, Victoria's husband, died some two months after their visit to Killarney and Victoria sank into depression for many years.

Old Entrance to Muckross House, Killarney