St Albans, Cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England
This city lies in Hertfordshire, roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of London, with two railway stations and paved streets running through the medieval center. The cathedral and the Roman remains of Verulamium together form a long history of Christian and ancient settlement on the same ground.
The Romans founded Verulamium here as an important stop on Watling Street heading north from Londinium. Christianity came to the area early, and later the first abbey rose on the site of the Roman cemetery.
The 15th-century bell tower opens its doors on weekends for visitors willing to climb the narrow stairs to the top and look out over the rooftops. Around the cathedral you see people walking through the streets lined with medieval facades and stopping at small shops tucked inside old buildings.
St Albans City station sits centrally and connects the town to London in around 20 minutes. St Albans Abbey station lies further south and also offers rail links to the capital.
The market, running since the 9th century every Wednesday and Saturday, draws locals and visitors to stalls selling fresh produce and handmade goods. The stalls stand where sellers and buyers have met for over a thousand years.
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