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    Kilkenny

    Ireland

    Kilkenny

    City

    Kilkenny in southeast Ireland is a city with approximately 27,000 inhabitants and one of the best-preserved medieval cityscapes in the country.

    by Felix Gillen

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    9. Kilkenny
    Kilkenny in southeast Ireland is a city with approximately 27,000 inhabitants and one of the best-preserved medieval cityscapes in the country. It lies on both banks of the River Nore; it owes its nickname "Marble City" to the dark limestone of the area, and from 1642 to 1649, the Confederation of Kilkenny met here.The Medieval Mile connects Kilkenny Castle, a 13th-century castle with Victorian alterations and a freely accessible park, with St Canice's Cathedral (1202–1285), whose approximately 30-meter-high 9th-century round tower you can climb. Along the way are the Medieval Mile Museum, Rothe House, the merchant's house, the Black Abbey, and the Smithwick's Experience, dedicated to the city's brewing tradition.

    Sights in Kilkenny

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    St Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower

    1St Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower

    The cathedral dates from approximately 1202 to 1285. The approximately 30-meter-high 9th-century round tower is one of Ireland's few medieval round towers still accessible for climbing, via steep internal ladders.
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    Rothe House

    2Rothe House

    Three merchant houses built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594 and 1610, with Ireland's only fully preserved medieval town plot (Burgage Plot). Since 1962, the ensemble has belonged to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.
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    Kilkenny Castle

    3Kilkenny Castle

    The castle at a Nore ford was stone-built by 1260. In 1967, the Marquess of Ormonde sold it to the city for £50. Tickets via official booking system only. Nov 2, 2026 (1 p.m.) to Nov 5, 2026: castle closed for filming, park open.
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    Restaurants in Kilkenny

    Accommodations in Kilkenny

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    Campgrounds in Kilkenny

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      • 1St Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower3 days
      • 2Rothe House4 days
      • 3Kilkenny Castle5 days
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    Nearby

    The Southeast combines medieval towns with a gentle hill and river landscape. Kilkenny, with its castle, cathedral, and the Medieval Mile, preserves one of Ireland's most intact medieval townscapes, Waterford dates back to a Viking foundation in 914, and the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary is home to the former seat of the Kings of Munster.The region is located on the way from Dublin to Cork and Kerry and is suitable for a stopover of one to three days. The Waterford Greenway is worth exploring by bike, a roughly 46-kilometre-long rail trail to Dungarvan on the coast.
    Waterford

    Waterford

    Waterford is considered Ireland's oldest city; Norwegian Vikings traditionally founded it in 914. In the historic centre, the Viking Triangle, Reginald's Tower with an exhibition on the Viking Age, the Medieval Museum, the Georgian Bishop's Palace, and other small museums are clustered in a compact area.At the House of Waterford Crystal on the Mall, a guided tour demonstrates how the famous glassware is designed, blown, and engraved. Just outside the city, the Waterford Greenway begins, at around 46 kilometres, Ireland's longest railway line cycle path, leading over viaducts and through a tunnel to Dungarvan.
    Rock of Cashel

    Rock of Cashel

    The Rock of Cashel is a limestone outcrop in County Tipperary, where the Kings of Munster resided before handing it over to the church in 1101. Today, it hosts Ireland's most extensive collection of medieval buildings: a 12th-century round tower, the 13th-century Gothic cathedral, a tower house, the Hall of the Vicars Choral, and the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, consecrated in 1134.The chapel houses Ireland's only surviving Romanesque frescoes and is only accessible via a short guided tour, for which an additional fee applies and tickets are sold in limited numbers on-site. In stormy weather, the complex may close at short notice. The ruins of Hore Abbey can be reached on foot in about ten minutes.
    Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains

    Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains

    Glendalough is a glacial valley with two lakes in the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin, where Saint Kevin founded a monastery in the 6th century. Preserved are a round tower approximately 30 metres high, several churches like St Kevin's Church, and high crosses, which are among Ireland's most famous early Christian sites.The valley belongs to the Wicklow Mountains National Park, opened in 1991, which covers approximately 20,500 hectares. Nine marked trails start at the Visitor Centre or the National Park's information office, from short walks by the Lower Lake to the Spink Circuit above the Upper Lake. The monastic site is freely accessible, the car park at the Visitor Centre charges a fee.
    Clonmacnoise

    Clonmacnoise

    Clonmacnoise on the banks of the Shannon in County Offaly is one of Ireland's most important early Christian monastic sites, founded by Saint Ciarán in 544. Remaining are the ruins of a cathedral, several churches, two round towers, and three high crosses.The original, approximately four-meter-high Cross of the Scriptures from around 900, is now protected in the visitor centre, with a copy outdoors. The site is managed by the Office of Public Works and is located south of Athlone, approximately halfway between Dublin and Galway.

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