We spent the whole of day 11 in York, doing lots of walking, taking a boat ride on the river, a walk on the ancient city walls, and taking way too many pictures of the beautiful York Minster, officially known as "The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York" .
The River Ouse from the Micklegate Bridge. Our hotel is the Radisson Park Inn on the left shore.
Clifford's Tower is about a block from the river, a bit downstream from our hotel.
On the street in York. The spire is part of the 11 century St. Mary's Church, which now houses a museum for modern visual arts.
Barcley's Bank
The neighborhood of York known as "The Shambles" was once known as The Great flesh Shambles, the word for the shelves on which butchers displayed their meat. This street was the home of 25 butcher shops in 1872
The birth place of the infamous Guy Fauxe
Approching York Minster, or simply, "The Minster," built starting around 1220. This is the west front of the cathedral
A closer shot of the west front with one of the towers undergoing restoration.
The west front from the inside.
The great west window is often called the Heard of Yorshire
Another shot of the Heart of Yorkshire. Local legend says that if a couple kissed beneath this window, they will be together forever. Lots of proposals also happen here.
Shot of the west wall and heart window from beneath the center of the nave
West entrance doors.
Window at the end of the north aisle.
York Minster south transept entrance with the rose window. This is the main entrance.
Inside shot looking at the south entrance.
The south wall with the rose window
Rose window closeup. Note the Tudor roses.
This stone mason is working on a block for restoration work being done on the Minster.
Clerestory window with shields of arms
The Choir screen features scuptures of the kings of England from William the Conqueror to Henry VI. The organ, reconstructed in 1859, sits on top.
A shot toward the east wall. The window shown here is really a full size printed screen, because the great east window is being restored. This is the largest digitally printed image of its kind.
Shot up into the central tower
The astronomical clock, installed in 1955. It is a memorial to the airmen killed in action during World War II.
The York Minster Chapter House is the meeting place of the "chapter," the group of people who govern the church.
The chapter house is connected to the cathedral through a short passageway from the north transept.
Chapter House floor
The Chapter House has 7 big windows like this one. the eighth side of the room is the archeway into the vestibulel leading to the church.
Chapterhouse windows
The Chapter House Ceiling.
Another Chapter House window. Note the carved faces below the window.
The artisons who made the faces above the Chapter House seats largely chose their own subjects, so these faces represent the people of the time.
400 year old clock. The two knights strike on the quarter hour.
Shot down the nave of the minster toward the east end.
The choir
The organ above the choir screen
Traditional bosses punctuate the joinery of the south transept ceiling.
The south transept of York Minster was gutted by fire in 1984. When it was rebuilt, a few of the ceiling bosses were designed by children who were viewers of the BBC TV children's show Blue Peter. this one is "Man in the Moon" designed by 6 year old Rebecca-Rose Welsh
Diver and whale designed by Richard Gaston. The children's designs were carved and painted by the Minster craftsmen
Neil Armstrong and the American Flag, designed by 8 year old Ben Kerslake
Raising the Mary Rose designed by 16 year old Joanna Biggs
The ruins of St Mary's Abbey, destroyed along with lots of other Catholic churches by King Henry VIII
Betty's tea rooms, where we had lunch
Colorful characters on the streets of York
Bootham Bar, the oldest of the gates in the York city walls. This is High Petergate, so called because it is close to York Minster, dedicated to St. Peter.
A walk on the city walls
Approaching Monk Bar, the northeast entrance to the city
Micklegate Bridge over the River Ouse
Lendal Bridge
The Yorkshire Wheel. It was taken down shortly after we left.
