A perennial favorite of the Irish, a jewel in the crown of the medieval Kilkenny town, we can well see why it was voted among the most beautiful.

The stone castle, which overlooks the River Nore, was built in 1195 by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.

Although the castle has gone through many changes since then, three of the original four towers still survive to this day.

Kilkenny Castle as seen from the River Nore, in the city of Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Castle as seen from the River Nore, in the city of Kilkenny.

Architectural Digest named Kilkenny Castle as one of the “most fairytale-esque castles of the world.”

“This castle overlooks the River Nore and was used to guard the important river crossing for more than 900 years. ‘Throughout the history of the castle, the site was renovated several times with the changing of owners, making it a mixture of various architectural styles.”

A dramatic shot of Kilkenny Castle.

A dramatic shot of Kilkenny Castle.

Kilkenny Castle is in good company — other castles that made the top 10 list include the Chateau de Versailles in France and Windsor Castle in England.

Here is the full list:

  1. Chateau de Versailles, France
  2. Windsor Castle, England
  3. Mont Saint-Michel, France
  4. Bodiam Castle, East Sussex England
  5. Castello Aragonese, Ischia, Italy6 - Spiš Castle, Slovakia
  6. Prague Castle, The Czech Republic
  7. Kilkenny Castle, Ireland
  8. Bojnice Castle, Slovakia
  9. Carcassonne, France

* Originally published in May 2019.