King John's Castle is a 13th-century castle located on King's Island. It is one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Europe. Visitors can see the original walls, towers and fortifications. In the years 2011-2013 it underwent a thorough reconstruction, of which 5.7 million euro was spent on improving the infrastructure for visiting the castle. Improvements included a new visitor center, interactive exhibitions with computer animations, and a cafe overlooking the courtyard and river.
The sea viking king, Thormodr Helgason, built the first permanent Viking stronghold here as early as 922. He used it as a base for attacks on church settlements. The remains of a Viking settlement were discovered during an archaeological excavation in 1900. In the 12th century, the area was conquered by Anglo-Normans under the command of John, Lord of Ireland. It was on his order that the castle was built and named after him.
Attractions inside
