Located in the center of Dublin, Phoenix Park in Ireland covers an area of 1760 acres. It was founded in 1663. It is the most famous park in Ireland. The whole park is atmospheric and beautiful. In 1979, Pope Paul II visited Ireland because of the fierce religious conflict in Northern Ireland, and here he issued an appeal to "abandon the path of violence and return to the path of peace". Nearly one-third of the country's population (about 1.3 million people) went to visit and listen, the largest gathering in Ireland's history. In the same year, the Irish government erected a huge cross in the center of the park to commemorate this important religious event.