Casino at Marino, Neoclassical pleasure house in Marino, Dublin, Ireland
The Casino at Marino is a neoclassical pleasure house in Dublin that appears from the outside to be a modest single-story structure. Inside, it conceals sixteen rooms spread across three floors, making it an architectural puzzle.
Scottish architect William Chambers designed this building between 1757 and 1775 for James Caulfeild, the first Earl of Charlemont, following his travels through Europe. The project was shaped by Italian architectural influences the Earl had encountered during his journeys.
The name comes from the Italian diminutive of casa, so 'little house', not a gambling venue. Lord Charlemont chose it after a nine-year Grand Tour of Italy and Greece, and named the estate after Marino in Lazio. The grounds he laid out were called a 'terrestrial paradise' by Charles Topham Bowden in 1791.
The building is small and compact, making it possible to explore its interior in a short time. You should take time to notice the hidden details, since many functional elements are cleverly integrated into the decoration.
Four of the columns around the Casino are hollow, each holding a dangling chain that carries rainwater down from the roof. The carved Roman funerary urns on the parapet, possibly designed by James Gandon, work as chimneys. The windows hide a further trick: their panes are subtly curved so one window can serve several rooms.
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