A historic ammunitions storage depot in Dublin’s Phoenix Park will be open to guided tours from this weekend for the first time in its history.

The Magazine Fort was the scene of an unsuccessful raid by 1916 rebels, intended to signal the beginning of the Easter Rising.

It is located on the site of the old Phoenix House, which was occupied by a succession of British viceroys from the early 17th century.

The present fort, a protected structure, was built circa 1734 and extended in 1801 by renowned architect Francis Johnston.

The free tour will allow visitors to walk around the inside of the fort and along its bastion walls, as well as see ongoing conservation work.

The site at St Thomas’ Hill, to the southeast of the park, offers sweeping views over much of west and south Dublin, stretching all the way to the Dublin mountains.

The depot will be open to the public on a limited basis for the next three months, with a maximum of 20 people on each tour.

The tours will take place at 10am, 12pm and 2.30pm on Sundays and Fridays only, from July 31st until the end of October.

Tickets are available at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on a first come, first served basis, and cannot be booked in advance. A shuttle bus will be available to take people from the centre to the fort.

More information is available on www.phoenixpark.ie.