Published Friday, 22 January 2010
The World Heritage Site on the north coast boasts 40,000 interlinked basalt columns extending into the sea, while the area surrounding it is home to wildlife ranging from peregrine falcons to seals.
Legend has it the giant Finn MacCool built the enormous "stepping stones" to Scotland to do battle with a rival there - though the more prosaic explanation is that they were formed by cooling lava 60 million years ago.
Northern Ireland's only World Heritage Site, which includes the Giant's Causeway and other geological features such as Finn MacCool's organ, chimney tops, and even his boot, is owned by the National Trust on behalf of the nation.
The funding will go towards an £18.5m project which includes a new visitor centre, improvement of existing paths and new paths and further protection and conservation of the 3km stretch of coastline.
The project will also include an outreach scheme to recruit new volunteers to help out at the Causeway and involve schools, universities and local communities in a series of education and environmental programmes.
National Trust Director for Northern Ireland, Hilary McGrady hailed the HLF funding as a "landmark announcement" for the Giant's Causeway and the people of Northern Ireland.
"I am thrilled that Heritage Lottery Fund has so significantly supported this major project which will see the Giant's Causeway protected and a world class visitor centre and experience in place," she said.
"This decision gives the project, and National Trust, a huge boost."
The National Trust hopes to be able to start work onsite in "a matter of weeks".