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| Beechview Apartments make an ideal base for the all visitors looking for Kilkenny self catering accommodation. Below are just some of the wonderful attractions the city has to offer. |
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KILKENNY CASTLE
This
superb castle is located on elevated ground beside the river
at the south-eastern end of the city. The castle was built in
the thirteenth century on the site of an earlier fort. However,
the present building is vastly different from the stronghold
erected by Strongbow in the middle ages. Despite this, the present
structure retains the architectural lines of a medieval castle.
The building forms three sides of a quadrangle, with three of
the four original round towers intact. The Butlers, the Earls
of Ormonde, occupied the castle
from the fourteenth century onwards. The castle
has been restored to its former glory and is open to the public. |
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ST. CANICE'S CATHEDRAL
St.
Canice's was erected in the thirteenth century, and is accessible
from Irishtown via St. Canice's Steps. The cathedral features
a magnificent tower that offers impressive views of the city.
The cathedral evolved over the centuries and was unfortunately
damaged by Oliver Cromwell's troops in the seventeenth century.
This Kilkenny landmark features a fascinating collection of
monuments and tombs dating from the Tudor era. |
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BLACK ABBEY
William
Marshall (Earl of Pembroke) founded the Black Abbey in 1225
for the Dominicans. This impressive building is situated on
Abbey Street, and features a tower and some magnificent windows
dating from the original the original structure. The Dominican
abbey was dissolved in the sixteenth century and subsequently
became a courthouse. Fortunately, the abbey was restored to
its former glory in the nineteenth century enabling it to be
reopened as a church. At the Abbey entrance, one can find a
series of monumental slabs and stone coffins dating from the
middle ages. |
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THE
THOSEL
This central Kilkenny landmark dates from 1761. Erected by Alderman
William Colles, the Thosel served as the market for the city
(the word 'thosel' means literally a marketplace). Architecturally,
the building has a double length arcade with an impressive Georgian
Council Chamber room positioned above the arcade. There is a
clock tower on the steeply pitched roof, and the southern wall
contains the Kilkenny coat of arms. The original building was
badly damaged after a fire in 1987, but has since been completely
restored, and now serves as the City Hall |
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ST. FRANCIS'S ABBEY
William
Marshall (Earl of Pembroke) founded St. Francis's Abbey in the
thirteenth century. In recent years, the Abbey has been the
oratory of Smithwick's Brewery, famous for 'Smithwicks' and
'Kilkenny' ales. The building features a bell tower, a Chancel,
and the superb east window. In the sixteenth century the Abbey
was possessed by the state and given to the corporation. Fortunately,
the building has been completely renovated in recent years. |
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Sight Seeing 
