Editing Kilkenny (section)

==Landmarks==
[[File:The New Parade Kilkenny.JPG|thumb|left|upright|The New Parade, Kilkenny City, leading from the Castle to High Street]]
[[File:Kilkenny Tholsel II 2017 09 11.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[The Tholsel, Kilkenny|The Tholsel]]]]
[[File:Butler House.jpg|thumb|right|[[Butler House, Kilkenny|Butler House]]]]
[[File:Rothe House 2021.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rothe House]] on Parliament Street]]

Kilkenny's architectural heritage is represented through a number of historical buildings and landmarks. Kilkenny is a well-preserved medieval town and is dominated by both [[Kilkenny Castle]] and [[St. Canice's Cathedral]] and round tower.

Surviving examples of the city's medieval architecture include Kilkenny Castle and parts of the Kilkenny City Walls. These walls define the extent, layout and status of the medieval town. The town grew from a monastic settlement to a thriving Norman merchant town in the Middle Ages. St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower are an example of the monastic settlement. [[Rothe House]] on Parliament Street is an example of an Elizabethan merchant townhouse located on the only completely surviving [[burgage plot]] in Ireland. It also features a restored 17th-century garden on an area of half an acre behind the house, complete with herbs, vegetables and an orchard.

The black stone with decorative white fossils that forms the backbone of many of Kilkenny's fine buildings was quarried locally, particularly from the quarry located 1.6&nbsp;km south of the town on the R700.<ref>An exposed rock face can still be seen from the road.</ref> [[Kilkenny marble]] was used for the plinth of the new tomb of [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] in [[Leicester Cathedral]] in England.<ref>Leicester Cathedral website</ref>

Visitor attractions in Kilkenny and its environs include [[Kilkenny Castle]] and Gardens including the [[Butler Gallery]], [[St. Canice's Cathedral]] and round tower, [[Rothe House]] and Garden, [[Shee Alms House]], [[Kilkenny Courthouse]], [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny|St. Mary's Cathedral]], [[The Tholsel, Kilkenny|The Tholsel]], the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] [[Black Abbey]], [[Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Kilkenny|St. John's Church]], [[Butler House, Kilkenny|Butler House]], Kilkenny 'Slips' and [[St. Francis Abbey]] Brewery. Gardens include the Castle Rose Garden, Rothe House Garden, the Famine Memorial Garden and the garden of Butler House.

In the county other attractions include [[Kells Priory]], [[Jerpoint Abbey]], [[Dunmore Caves]], [[Woodstock Estate]] and [[Jenkinstown Park]].

Local Kilkenny marble or black marble was used to decorate many of the city's buildings, and Kilkenny referred to the "Marble City" for this reason.<ref>{{cite book | title = Faerie Stones: An Exploration of the Folklore and Faeries Associated with Stones & Crystals | author = Ceri Norman | publisher = John Hunt Publishing | date = 2018 | quote = ''Kilkenny was once known as 'The Marble City' as slabs of Kilkenny Marble were used to line the city streets and in the construction of several local buildings''}}</ref>

===Kilkenny Castle and city walls===
[[File:Kilkenny Castle, 2024-03-22 02.jpg|thumb|[[Kilkenny Castle]]]]
[[File:Black Freren Gate.jpg|thumb|The Black Freren Gate, part of the medieval city walls]]

[[Kilkenny Castle]] in Kilkenny city was the seat of the Butler family. (Formerly the family name was FitzWalter.) The castle was sold to the local Castle Restoration Committee in the middle of the 20th century for [[Irish punt|£]]50. Shortly afterwards it was handed over to the State, and has since been refurbished and is open to visitors. Part of the collection of the National Art Gallery is on display in the castle. There are ornamental gardens on the northwest side of the castle, and extensive land and gardens to the front. It has become one of the most visited tourist sites in Ireland.

The first stone castle was begun in 1204 by [[William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke|William Marshall]] the site was completed in 1213; it was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town. There were four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade. This was a square-shaped castle with towers at each corner; three of these original four towers survive to this day.

''Kilkenny Walls'' protected the medieval town of Kilkenny.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Irish_Walled_Towns/Med_KK_Walls.pdf|title=Medieval walls of Kilkenny City|website=Heritagecouncil.ie|access-date=23 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804142318/http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Irish_Walled_Towns/Med_KK_Walls.pdf|archive-date=2012-08-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> The town was surrounded by walls with regular towers and gates. Remnants of the Town Walls survive such as Talbot Tower (1207), which is also known as Talbot's Bastion or Castle. It is the larger of the two surviving towers of the defences of the medieval High town of Kilkenny. There are walls on Abbey Street, and the adjoining Black Freren Gate is the only surviving gate/access remaining on the High town Circuit into the old city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kilkennycity.ie/eng/Services/Heritage/City_Walls_Project/|title=City Walls Project|website=Kilkennycity.ie|access-date=23 September 2017|archive-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924093425/http://www.kilkennycity.ie/eng/Services/Heritage/City_Walls_Project/|url-status=live}}</ref> A wall also runs through the brewery's grounds beside [[St. Francis Abbey]].

The Kilkenny City Walls Conservation Plan is a plan by the inhabitants of Kilkenny, Kilkenny Borough Council, the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, An Taisce, The Kilkenny Archaeological Society and The Heritage Council to ensure the long-term survival of the city's walls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kilkennycity.ie/resources/eng/Services/Heritage/Kilkenny%20City%20Walls%20Conservation%20Plan.pdf|title=Kilkenny City Walls Conservation Plan|website=Kilkennycity.ie|access-date=23 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125024152/http://www.kilkennycity.ie/resources/eng/Services/Heritage/Kilkenny%20City%20Walls%20Conservation%20Plan.pdf|archive-date=25 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===St. Canice's Cathedral and tower===
{{Main|St Canice's Cathedral}}
[[File:Kilkenny St Canice Cathedral SW 2007 08 28.jpg|thumb|right|[[St. Canice's Cathedral]]]]

[[St Canice's Cathedral]], also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, present building dates from the 13th century and is the second longest cathedral in Ireland. The cathedral is named after Saint Canice, who also gave his name to the town.<ref name="Cathedra">[http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/irl/KIK/StCanice/cathedra.html Cathedral of St. Canice] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140416020742/http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/irl/KIK/StCanice/cathedra.html |date=2014-04-16 }}, extract from ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland'' (1837)</ref>

[[Cruciform]], the cathedral was built in the [[English Gothic architecture|Early English]], or English Gothic, style of [[architecture]], of [[limestone]], with a low central tower supported on black marble columns. The exterior walls, apart from the gables, are [[Battlement|embattled]], and there are two small [[spire]]s at the west end. The cathedral is seventy-five yards long, and its width along the transepts is forty-one yards.

Beside the cathedral stands a 100&nbsp;ft 9th century round tower. St. Canice's tower is an excellent example of a well-preserved early Christian (9th century) [[Irish round tower|Round Tower]]. Accessible only by a steep set of internal ladders, it may once have been both a watchtower and a refuge, and the summit gives a good view of Kilkenny and the countryside around. The hill on which the cathedral stands is believed to be the centre of the first major settlement at Kilkenny, and the round tower suggests an early ecclesiastical foundation.<ref name="Graves 1857 25"/>

[[Dominican Order|Dominican]] [[Black Abbey]] was founded in 1225, and lying just off Parliament Street.

===Bridges===
{{further|Green's Bridge}}
[[File:Canal Square Kilkenny.JPG|thumb|left|The New Canal Square]]

Kilkenny has four main bridges — [[Green's Bridge]], John's Bridge, the Ossory Bridge and the St Francis Bridge — and two pedestrian/cycle bridges — the [[Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart|Lady Desart]] Bridge and the Ossory Pedestrian Bridge. Each of the bridges spans the [[River Nore]].

Green's Bridge, also known as the 'Great Bridge of Kilkenny', crosses the River Nore in St. Canices Parish in the townland of Gardens, and is an important element of the architectural heritage of Kilkenny City.<ref name="niahgreens">{{cite web | url = http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=KK&regno=12004007 | title = Green's Bridge, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) | website = buildingsofireland.ie | access-date = 4 September 2019 | archive-date = 5 December 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181205003533/http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=KK&regno=12004007 | url-status = live }}</ref> First built before 1200, the bridge has been rebuilt several times since the twelfth century due to flooding, including the great floods of 1487 and 1763. The present-day bridge was built in 1766 after the 'Great Flood of 1763'. It was built by William Colles (c. 1710–70) to designs prepared by George Smith (1763–67), a pupil of [[George Semple]] (c. 1700–82).<ref name="niahgreens"/>

John's Bridge connects John Street to Rose Inn Street in Kilkenny City. It was first built after 1200, and has been called 'John's Bridge' since the Middle Ages. It has also been rebuilt many times since the twelfth century due to flooding. During the flood of 1763, people gathered on John's Bridge after Green's Bridge collapsed. John's Bridge also collapsed, and sixteen people died. The present-day John's Bridge was completed in 1910 and spans {{convert|140|ft|m|abbr=on}} across the River Nore. It was reputedly, at the time it was completed, the longest single-span reinforced bridge in Ireland or Britain. The design was by Mouchel & Partners using the Hennebique system of reinforcement. The arch consists of three ribs, tapering from {{convert|2|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} to {{convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep. The traverse deck beams are each {{convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep.

The Ossory Bridge, linking the ring road, was completed in 1984 and features an inlaid sculpture. St Francis Bridge was opened in May 2017,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/home/251334/st-francis-bridge-in-kilkenny-officially-opened.html|title=St Francis Bridge in Kilkenny officially opened|work=[[Kilkenny People]]|first=Brian|last=Keyes|date=23 May 2017|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615105121/https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/home/251334/st-francis-bridge-in-kilkenny-officially-opened.html|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref> and forms part of the [[Kilkenny Central Access Scheme]]. The scheme and the proposed building of the new bridge was the subject of some debate and protest in Kilkenny in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/kilkenny-central-access-scheme-noteworthy-4925141-Dec2019/|title=A bridge too far? The inside story of the road scheme that divided a city|work=[[TheJournal.ie]]|first1=Maria|last1=Delaney|first2=Ken|last2=Foxe|date=16 December 2019|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615105121/https://www.thejournal.ie/kilkenny-central-access-scheme-noteworthy-4925141-Dec2019/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lady Desart Bridge and Ossory Pedestrian bridge are the city's two pedestrian/cycle bridges. Lady Desart Bridge was opened in January 2014 and links John's Quay and Bateman Quay and is located between John's Bridge and Green's Bridge. The Ossory Pedestrian bridge, located underneath the main Ossory bridge, links the Canal Walk on one side of the River Nore to the Lacken Walk on the other side.

===Old Woollen Mills===
The Old Woollen Mills was built in the 1800s and is located on the north side of the city, on Bleach Road. It was one of the largest employers in the area; the site covers {{convert|90000|sqft|m2}} and has more than a mile of river frontage onto the Nore.<ref name="salvage"/> Among its many features is a freestanding red brick chimney, erected in 1905.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12308004/greenvale-woollen-mills-kilkenny-bleach-mills-bleach-road-bleachgreen-kilkenny-county-kilkenny|title=Greenvale Woollen Mills (Kilkenny Bleach Mills), Bleach Road, Bleachgreen, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny|publisher=[[National Inventory of Architectural Heritage]]|website=buildings.ie|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615115559/https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12308004/greenvale-woollen-mills-kilkenny-bleach-mills-bleach-road-bleachgreen-kilkenny-county-kilkenny|url-status=live}}</ref> An architectural salvage and antique yard, Kilkenny Architectural Salvage, is currently located on the site.<ref name="salvage">{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosalve.com/about-us/|title=About Kilkenny Architectural Salvage & Antiques|website=eurosalve.com|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615121101/https://www.eurosalve.com/about-us/|url-status=live}}</ref>