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!

A hidden gem that cozily resides on Saint Patrick's street in Cork and dates to mid-18th century – an era when it was prohibited for Catholic churches to be built on the main road. Nevertheless, this brilliantly designed church will manage to grab your attention, standing as a brilliant specimen of Neo-Gothic architecture.

Saint Peter and Paul's Church was designed by Edward Welby Pugin whose father, Augustus Pugin, was responsible for reviving the Gothic style in architecture. Uncharacteristic to Gothic architecture, however, this church lacks a spire, due to insufficient funds and for fear that the structure would fail to support its weight.

Though the church impresses on the outside, the true beauty of the design and structure is found on the inside. With pillars of red marble and strong wood framework, the interiors are surely worth admiring. A few special mentions go to the high-raised altar designed by Ashlin, the intricately carved Russian oak pulpit and the stained glass windows that give the church an artistic feel and make the entire experience worth remembering.

Why You Should Visit:
The attention to detail in the architecture is exquisite.
Lots to see and lots of photo opportunities.

Tip:
Free to visit or leave a donation.

The National Monument standing on the Grand Parade Street in Cork is a significant landmark of the city. It was built to commemorate the great Irish patriots and martyrs involved in the revolts of 1798, 1803, 1848, and 1867. The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Cork, Patrick Meade, in 1898, but it was not until 1902 that the design of the monument was commissioned to the famous architect, D.J Coakley, and John Francis Davis was asked to sculpt the figurines on the monument.

The monument's design is early Irish Gothic styled, and it stands at the junction of Grand Parade and South Mall, which was previously occupied by the statue of King George II. The monument's construction faced difficulties in fundraising as the locals were regarded as disrespectful and indifferent towards the country’s patriots and independence struggles.

The National Monument is adorned with statues of Wolfe Tone, Michael Dwyers, Davis, and O’Neill Crowley at the four corners of the monument. In the center, under the canopy, is the eight feet high statue of Erin. It bears a stark resemblance to the Holy Trinity Church and is an impressive and awe-inspiring structure to behold.

Grand Parade Street is one of the main streets in Cork city that runs from South Mall in the south to St. Patrick's Street/Daunt Square in the north. The street retains a number of commercial properties, with retail being most common at the northern end of the street and offices more common at the southern end close to the South Mall. The street is also home to Cork's main library, Bishop Lucey Park, and the mid-19th century Berwick Fountain.

The street's Irish name, Sráid an Chapaill Bhuí ("Yellow Horse Street"), originates from a time when a statue of King George II on horse-back was located at the junction with South Mall. The location of this statue is now occupied by the National Monument, a testament to the city's rich history and the struggles of its people for independence. Grand Parade Street is a vibrant and bustling area of Cork, attracting locals and tourists alike.

The Red Abbey in Cork is a medieval structure that was constructed using reddish sandstone. It was founded in the late 13th or early 14th century by a member of the De Courcey family and was named after the distinctive color of the sandstone used in its construction. The Red Abbey was an Augustinian abbey that was occupied by the friars until the 17th century, even though it was dissolved in 1541.

During the Siege of Cork in 1690, the Red Abbey's central bell tower was used by John Churchill as a vantage point and battery to suppress an uprising in the city associated with the expelled Catholic King of England, James II. The abbey remained standing throughout the 18th century when the Augustinian friars established a new friary in Fishamble Lane, and the Red Abbey was turned over for use as a sugar refinery. However, in 1799, a fire destroyed much of the abbey's structure.

The remains of the Red Abbey were excavated in 1977, revealing fragmented human bones, pottery dating from medieval times to the 19th century, and approximately 300 pieces of lead shot. Today, the only part of the Red Abbey that remains standing is the central bell tower of the abbey's church. This tower is now a designated national monument and is maintained by Cork City Council.

Elizabeth Fort is a 17th-century fort near the center of Cork. It was built in 1601 by Sir George Carew. The fort was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The fort was demolished in 1603 but later rebuilt. Most of the existing fort was built between 1624 and 1626.

The fort was originally built on high-ground outside the city. When the city grew, it encompassed the fort. After that time it was used as military barracks, a prison and a police station. It now functions as a tourist site.

As a tourist site, Elizabeth Fort is open to the public. It is also a venue for festivals and public events. Some of the events held at Elizabeth Fort include the Cork Midsummer Festival, Cork Heritage Open Day, the Cork St. Patrick's Festival, Culture Night and Heritage Week.

Elizabeth Fort is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. There is no charge to tour the fort.

Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral is Church of Ireland cathedral with roots that date to the 7th century AD. The first building on the site was a monastery founded by the Fibarr of Cork. It was destroyed in the 12th century during the Norman invasion of Ireland. Two more churches were built on the site, but they were each demolished and replaced by new, larger structures.

The existing cathedral was built between 1863 and 1879. It was designed by architect William Burges in the Gothic Revival architectural style. Along with the building itself, Burges also designed the sculptures, stained glass, mosaics and the bulk of the interior furniture. Most of the external sculptures were designed by Thomas Nicholls.

Burges, worried that the cathedral wouldn't be finished in his lifetime, created a Book of Furniture and a Book of Designs so that the cathedral could be completed to his exact specifications. These books have been used during reconstruction efforts to ensure it remains true to the original vision. This has included the re-carving of some sculptures that have eroded over time.

The interior of Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral is just as impressive as the exterior. It has mosaic pavements, a high marble nave and large columns. The pulpit is cylindrical and is perched on four sculpted legs. The brass lectern shows the heads of Moses and King David.

There are 74 stained glass windows designed by Burges. They were crafted by H.W. Lonsdale and William Gualbert Saunders. They each show themes from the Bible except for the nave windows, which have signs of the zodiac. The pipe organ was built in 1870 by William Hill & Sons. It has more than 4,500 pipes.

Visitors can visit Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM and from 2 PM to 5:30 PM. Along with touring the cathedral, a cathedral gift shop offers souvenirs like coffee mugs, books and miniature replicas of the building.

Tip:
Climb up the steep, dark staircase to be rewarded with a simply stunning view of Cork.

University College Cork is a constituent of the national university of Ireland. It was founded in 1845 as Queen's College. The name was changed to University College Cork in 1908.

The quadrangle and most early campus buildings were designed by Sir Thomas Deane and Benjamin Woodward. They were designed in the Tudor Gothic architectural style. More buildings have been continually added after the 1860s as the school has steadily grown. Thought the campus is comprised of 42 acres, it is only a 10-minute walk from the center of Cork.

The university is notable for being the college where the first two women in Ireland graduated in medicine. This happened in 1898, far earlier than many other schools allowed women to study medicine.

The university is one of the country's top research institutes. University College Cork was named Irish University of the Year five times. It was also named the top performing university by the European Commission.

Tip:
The Glucksman Gallery on campus features a modernist architecture and is listed among the '1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die'...

The Cork City Gaol is a museum houses inside a former prison. The building was completed in 1818 from a design by William Robertson in the Georgian Gothic architectural style. Sculptor John Hogan worked as draughtsman for the gaol. Hogan later achieved acclaim for his artwork and is now known as one of Ireland's greatest sculptors.

The gaol opened as a prison for both men and women who committed crimes within the city of Cork. It became a prison only for women in 1878 and re-opened as a co-ed prison in 1922. The gaol closed the following year.

Crimes committed by those remanded at the gaol were often petty crimes that would be overlooked today. Using obscene language or drinking alcohol were possible crimes that would lead to time in the gaol. In 1919, Constance Markievicz, the first woman in British Parliament, was imprisoned for a rousing speech.

The gaol building was used as a radio station from 1927 through the 1950s. It was also used as storage for government offices. The remainder of the building and grounds fell into ruin from disuse and lack of upkeep.

The Cork City Gaol reopened in 1993 when it was transformed into a museum. It offers exhibits that detail the history of the gaol including a radio museum.