Kilkenny Courthouse, Judicial building in Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Ireland.

Kilkenny Courthouse is a neoclassical building on Parliament Street with a symmetrical front and a columned entrance typical of 18th-century judicial architecture. The arcaded ground floor creates an open character while the main portico makes the building easy to spot in the town.

This structure was built in 1792 after a 13th-century castle that occupied the site was removed to make way for the new building. The location shifted from serving as a prison to becoming the courthouse that operates there today.

The building is still called Grace's Castle after the 13th-century castle that stood on the site, and the name survives in local use alongside its judicial function. The courthouse also served as the meeting place of Kilkenny County Council after the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993, before the council moved to John's Green House.

The courthouse sits in the town center and is easy to reach on foot from other attractions. Keep in mind this is an active working court, so access may be limited at certain times and visitors should be respectful of ongoing proceedings.

Beneath the modern courthouse, the basement holds remains of the medieval castle that once stood on this spot. These hidden layers let visitors sense how centuries of history are layered beneath one functioning building.