St. Anne's Church in Shandon, Cork (must see)

Saint Anne's Church is a notable landmark that overlooks the River Lee. The church was constructed between 1722 and 1726 on the site of a medieval church dedicated to Saint Mary, which was destroyed during the Williamite wars in 1690. The decision to build a new church on this ancient site was due to population growth in the area.

The Church of Saint Anne was built using two types of stone, red sandstone from the original Shandon Castle and limestone from the derelict Franciscan Abbey, which stood on the North Mall. The use of these materials has been linked to the colors used to represent the city. The walls of the tower are two meters thick and the height was extended to 15 meters to accommodate the pepper pot adornment on the tower.

Saint Anne's Church is most famous for its eight bells, which are featured in the popular song "The Bells of Shandon" by Francis Sylvester Mahony. The largest of the bells weighs over 1.5 tons and was cast by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester. Visitors can climb to the first floor of the tower and ring the bells themselves using an Ellacombe apparatus. The bells have been recast twice, in 1865 and 1906.

The clock on the tower is known as "The Four Faced Liar" because the time may not appear to correspond perfectly on each face due to the effects of wind on the hands of a given face. At the top of the pepper pot adornment is a weather vane in the form of a salmon, which represents the fishing industry of the River Lee.

Why You Should Visit:
The place to go for a great 360 view of the city.
Plus, you can have a nice walk through the emblematic neighborhood of Shandon.

Tip:
Once you make it to the top you may get the chance to ring the bells!