Gothic cathedral, its construction began in 1220 and lasted 250 years. A special feature of the cathedral are the large stained glass windows in the style of medieval Europe. The largest window, 23 meters high, was made in the 15th century. York Cathedral is considered one of the largest in Europe. Its length is 158 meters, the height of the towers – 60 meters. The central tower of the cathedral has survived two restorations, which protected the cathedral from collapse.
York Cathedral (York Minster) is a unique structure that is considered the largest medieval temple in northern Europe after Cologne Cathedral. But if one can argue about that, York Minster’s primacy is undeniable – inside are the largest medieval stained glass windows in Europe.
In addition to their outstanding size (one of the windows is a structure 25 meters high and 250 square meters in area), the cathedral’s stained glass windows are remarkable for their extraordinary beauty.
If you have never been to a Catholic vespers service, it is better to get acquainted with this sacrament in York Cathedral – you will get a lot of impressions.
Moreover, this building is not only an outstanding architecture, but also a very difficult fate. The cathedral was laid in the place where in 627 the King of Northumbria (from the 7th to the 9th centuries, a small independent kingdom in the territory of modern Europe) was baptized. – (a small independent kingdom in modern North Yorkshire) Edwin, later canonized.
Construction began in 1220 and lasted 250 years, so the cathedral had time to be influenced by many architectural styles (it is also called York Romanesque-Gothic cathedral).
The cathedral became active in 1427. Since then it has burned many times (one of the fires in the 19th century was considered to be the work of a religious fanatic), and in the 20th century it became clear to researchers that the supporting structures of the cathedral and its foundation were not designed for the weight that was weighing on them, and the cathedral was about to collapse. Extensive restoration work was carried out in 1984 and 2007, and the cathedral is now ready to receive visitors again.
Address: YO1 7HH, York, Deangate.
Opening times are 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Entry (cathedral and tower): 17 GBP, Pensioners and students: 14 GBP, children under 8 years old: free. Prices on the page are for August 2021.