Few structures in Ireland can claim to have been continuously occupied for as long as Kilkenny Castle. Founded shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland, the Castle has been renovated, expanded, and modified throughout the course of 800 years to fit changing conditions and purposes.
Kilkenny Castle, which is accessible to the public all year, is mainly a Victorian reconstruction of the thirteenth-century defensive castle. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come each year to view this magnificent country home and stroll around its fifty acres of undulating parkland with mature trees and a plethora of animals. Other nineteenth-century additions include a formal terraced rose garden, woods, and a man-made lake. Visitors may also enjoy a tearoom, a playground, and numerous orienteering routes.
