The Four-Faced Liar

The steeple of St. Anne’s Church in Cork is affectionately known as the “Four-Faced Liar.” That’s because it boasts a quirky feature: four clocks on its tower, each displaying a slightly different time.

The church was originally built in 1722, but the clocks weren’t added until more than a century later in 1847. Depending on the angle from which you view the clocks, how strong the wind is, and a number of other factors that affect the clocks, the times that each of them displays tend to vary slightly. When locals noticed that the clocks didn’t always agree, they gave the clock tower the nickname, which stuck. Locals delight in the playful nickname, embracing the charming eccentricity of their beloved landmark.

At St. Anne’s Church in Cork, visitors can climb 132 steps to 36.6 meters for panoramic city views and enjoy playing the historic bells along the way.