The Rock of Cashel is a 60-metre limestone outcrop rising dramatically from the surrounding Tipperary plain, topped by one of the most impressive groupings of medieval buildings in Ireland: a 12th-century round tower, the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, a ruined 13th-century Gothic cathedral, and the 15th-century Hall of the Vicars Choral. The complex is enclosed by a circuit wall and has been a place of royal and ecclesiastical power for over a thousand years.
Cormac's Chapel (1127–1134) is the most important building on the Rock — the first and finest Romanesque church in Ireland, commissioned by King-Bishop Cormac Mac Carthaigh. Inside, traces of the original 12th-century frescoes survive on the walls: a Norman knight, the Magi, symbols of the evangelists. The larger cathedral next to it was built in the 13th century and is now roofless after being burned in 1495 by Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare — who, when asked by Henry VII why he had done it, reportedly answered "because I thought the archbishop was inside." The Round Tower, 28 metres high and the oldest building on the site, is an 11th-century landmark. Entry is charged; admission includes access to all buildings and a small exhibition. Opening hours: daily from 9am.