York Minster

York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in the northern English city of York, built from limestone and reaching 160 meters in length and 76 meters in width. Its interior divides into a nave, transepts and choir, surrounded by tall pointed windows and slender stone pillars that support the vaulted ceiling overhead.

Construction started in 1220 and continued for several centuries, with the transept built first. The chapter house and nave followed later, while the great eastern facade with its enormous window was completed only in the early 15th century.

The name comes from the Old English word for a Roman headquarters that once stood here. Today worshipers gather for daily services while visitors walk through side chapels and aisles, watching how sunlight through colored windows fills the stone walls with shifting patterns of warm light.

The entrance stands at the western front, from where you enter the nave and move eastward through the building. Visitors who wish to climb the roof or towers should be prepared for steep steps and narrow spiral staircases.

In the north transept five narrow lancet windows stand side by side, each rising over 16 meters and displaying geometric patterns. This group is known as the Five Sisters Window and ranks among the oldest surviving glasswork in the building.

Location: York

Location: City of York

Inception: 1220

Architectural style: English Gothic architecture

Length: 160 m

Width: 76 m

Accessibility: Accessible en fauteuil roulant

Made from material: limestone

Address: Minster Yard

Website: http://yorkminster.org

GPS coordinates: 53.96194,-1.08194

Latest update: December 15, 2025 03:53