Christ Church Cathedral


Christ Church Cathedral is Ireland's only neoclassical Georgian cathedral. Designed by local architect John Roberts, it was built on the site of an 11th-century Viking church, where the historic 12th-century marriage of Strongbow and Aoife took place. The rather grim highlight is the 15th-century tomb of James Rice, seven times Lord Mayor of Waterford: sculpted worms and frogs crawl over the effigy of his decaying corpse.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Medieval Museum

0.02 MILES

Housed in a stunning modern structure that incorporates several medieval buildings and part of the city wall in its basement (all on display), this museum…

2. Bishop's Palace

0.04 MILES

The Bishop's Palace, a Georgian mansion dating from 1741, covers Waterford's history from 1700 to 1970 and displays a wide-ranging selection of city…

3. House of Waterford Crystal

0.05 MILES

This large modern complex combines a retail shop and cafe with a factory offering a 90-minute tour that shows how world-famous Waterford crystal is…

4. City Hall

0.06 MILES

Waterford's stately City Hall (1788) was designed by local architect John Roberts.

5. Reginald's Tower

0.1 MILES

Ireland's oldest complete building and the first to use mortar, 13th-century Reginald's Tower, the city's key fortification, is an outstanding example of…

6. Holy Trinity Cathedral

0.2 MILES

The sumptuous interior of the city's Roman Catholic cathedral has a carved-oak baroque pulpit, painted pillars with Corinthian capitals and 10 Waterford…

7. Clock Tower

0.23 MILES

In the middle of Waterford's waterfront stands an 1860s clock tower, a famous local landmark.

8. Half Moon Tower

0.29 MILES

Half Moon Tower is a crumbling fragment of the old city wall.