Round tower
Ninth century.
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A thirteenth-century cathedral that gave Kilkenny its name, as Kilkenny means «Canice's church» in Irish; it is the second-longest cathedral in Ireland after St Patrick's in Dublin. Beside it stands a 30-metre ninth-century stone round tower, one of the best preserved of Ireland's early round towers and one of only two in the country that visitors can climb. You climb steep wooden ladders inside the tower to the top, where there's a panoramic view over Kilkenny's rooftops, its castle and the surrounding countryside, while the cathedral itself stands out for its Gothic architecture and stained glass. The tower climb costs about €7 for adults, per visitor guides, and children must meet a minimum height. The climb is tight and tiring, not for anyone afraid of heights, and the tower sometimes closes in bad weather.
Ninth century.
Over Kilkenny.
And stained glass.
North end of the Medieval Mile, Kilkenny
Rothe House and GardenA late sixteenth-century merchant's townhouse complex in Kilkenny, built by the 4 minutes walk4.5
Medieval Mile MuseumA museum in the historic thirteenth-century St Mary's Church in central Kilkenny8 minutes walk4.7
Kilkenny CastleA stately castle built in 1260 on the bank of the River Nore to control its cros11 minutes walk4.8Yes. It's one of only two round towers in Ireland open for climbing; tickets are about €7 for adults, per visitor guides.