St Canice's Cathedral

Kilkenny's 13th-century cathedral with a climbable round tower beside it

St Canice's Cathedral is the northern anchor of Kilkenny's Medieval Mile and one of the finest Gothic churches in Ireland. Built in the 13th century on the site of a 6th-century monastery founded by St Cainnech (Canice), from whom Kilkenny takes its name, the cathedral has been restored and modified through the centuries but retains an interior of great beauty and calm.

The cathedral contains an exceptional collection of medieval floor slabs and effigies — some of the finest in Ireland — including carved tombs of the Butler family and other Kilkenny worthies. The medieval choir stalls, the carved misericords, and the extensive collection of stained glass spanning several centuries make a slow circuit of the interior worthwhile.

The 9th-century round tower in the cathedral grounds is one of only two in Ireland that can be climbed. The 30-metre ascent is steep and the entrance is low, but the view from the top over the rooftops and the River Nore is worth every step.

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The round tower beside St Canice's Cathedral is one of only two in Ireland that visitors can climb. Built in the 9th or 10th century as a bell tower and place of refuge, it predates the cathedral by several hundred years. The view from the top takes in the whole medieval city, the castle, the River Nore, and the farmland beyond — much the same view the monks would have had a thousand years ago.