On a hill in the centre of the city of Armagh is St Patrick's Church of Ireland Cathedral, a Protestant cathedral that is said to rest on the site of St Patrick's first church, which was founded in 445AD.

The building of today dates from the 13th century, although in the 19th century the cathedral underwent extensive restoration and the stonework of the old walls was hidden beneath sandstone plaster, hence the modern appearance of the exterior. English novelist William Thackeray famously described the cathedral as looking 'as neat and trim as a lady's dressing room'. The interior contains a section of an 11th century Celtic cross which once stood on a hill to the east, as well as 18th and 19th century monuments with works by Roubiliac (of Sir Thomas Molyneux) and Rysbrack.

The north transept forms the chapter house and contains a collection of sculptured fragments and stone statues, including some ancient pre-Christian idols. The Tandragee Idol, believed to date from the Iron Age, is particularly interesting and depicts a Celtic warrior figure. A plaque on the exterior west wall commemorates Brian Boru, High King of Ireland and a great military leader, who was buried in the church grounds in the 11th century.

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