June 2009
The York Minster (cathedral) is such an amazing edifice, I decided it needed an entry of its own. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and retains half of the medieval church glass in England. In importance, it rivaled Canterbury until Canterbury was designated the home of the archbishop of ALL England. The Minster was begun in 1220 and finished in 1480, spanning the range of Gothic styles. Though periodically damaged by fires, it remains a magnificent sanctuary full of light and beauty.
As with most buildings in York, it was built on earlier foundations--a Roman garrison, a wooden church where King Edwin was baptized in 627, a Norman church constructed after William the Conqueror destroyed the town. The crypt and treasury are well worth a trip down the stairs (and free with the York pass) as you can see remnants of these earlier structures and their treasures. They also say there is a great view if you climb to the top of the tower, but I decided to forgo that experience.
I was fortunate to be there on a beautiful, sunny day and was able to enjoy the rich colors of the numerous stained glass windows. However, many are being restored, as both lead and glass are only semi-hardened liquids that succumb to the pull of gravity over time. The magnificent East window (the size of a tennis court) was unfortunately under a cloth reproduction so that the workers could continue undisturbed. My favorite was the rose window created in 1500 with red and white roses, celebrating the marriage which took place of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York, uniting the houses of York and Lancaster and ending the tragic War of the Roses.
Click on link for slideshow:
York Minster
Music: Byrd, O Lord, make Elizabeth our Queen, Heritage of England--this Sceptred Isle
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