The Four Courts is Ireland's prominent neoclassical courts building situated on Inns Quay along the River Liffey in Dublin.
Designed by architects Thomas Cooley and James Gandon, Construction began in 1786 and finished in 1802; it was severely damaged during the Irish Civil War in 1922 and later restored.
The striking round structure at the center of the Four Courts is the central block, which houses the famous Round Hall.
The Round Hall serves as the physical, symbolic, and spiritual centre of the building.
The name "Four Courts" is historical. When the building first opened, the Irish judicial system was structured under four distinct superior courts:
(1) King's Bench, (2) Common Pleas, (3) Chancery and (4) Exchequer.
Nowadays it is the principal seat of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court.