Certainly! St Canice's Cathedral, also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, is a remarkable place in Kilkenny city, Ireland. Let me share some interesting details about it:
History: The cathedral dates back to the 13th century and is the second longest cathedral in Ireland, following St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. It stands on the site of a Celtic Christian monastery founded in the sixth century by St. Canice. The Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 included both Aghaboe and Kilkenny in the Diocese of Ossory, with the episcopal see at Kilkenny. Thus, the abbey church became the cathedral. The erroneous belief that the see was originally at Aghaboe and later transferred to Kilkenny is traced to a 16th-century misinterpretation of a 13th-century property transfer1.
Architecture: St Canice's Cathedral is an Early Gothic structure built of limestone. It features a 100 ft (30 m) 9th-century round tower, which is an example of a well-preserved “Celtic Christian” round tower. Interestingly, it's one of only three such medieval round towers in Ireland that can still be climbed to the top, the other two being Kildare Round Tower in Kildare Town and Devenish Round Tower in County Fermanagh.
Legacy: The cathedral contains some 16th-century monuments. Its interior houses ancient grave slabs and the tombs of Kilkenny Castle's Butler dynasty. St Canice's Cathedral is a hidden gem on Kilkenny's Medieval Mile, and each stone of this 12th-century Gothic cathedral tells a story23.
If you ever find yourself in Kilkenny, I recommend visiting this historic and beautiful cathedral!
History: The cathedral dates back to the 13th century and is the second longest cathedral in Ireland, following St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. It stands on the site of a Celtic Christian monastery founded in the sixth century by St. Canice. The Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 included both Aghaboe and Kilkenny in the Diocese of Ossory, with the episcopal see at Kilkenny. Thus, the abbey church became the cathedral. The erroneous belief that the see was originally at Aghaboe and later transferred to Kilkenny is traced to a 16th-century misinterpretation of a 13th-century property transfer1.
Architecture: St Canice's Cathedral is an Early Gothic structure built of limestone. It features a 100 ft (30 m) 9th-century round tower, which is an example of a well-preserved “Celtic Christian” round tower. Interestingly, it's one of only three such medieval round towers in Ireland that can still be climbed to the top, the other two being Kildare Round Tower in Kildare Town and Devenish Round Tower in County Fermanagh.
Legacy: The cathedral contains some 16th-century monuments. Its interior houses ancient grave slabs and the tombs of Kilkenny Castle's Butler dynasty. St Canice's Cathedral is a hidden gem on Kilkenny's Medieval Mile, and each stone of this 12th-century Gothic cathedral tells a story23.
If you ever find yourself in Kilkenny, I recommend visiting this historic and beautiful cathedral!