The City of York had its beginnings in 71 ce when the Romans began a town there called Eburacum and served as an important military post along the Scottish-English border throughout the Middle Ages. The cathedral in York, called the "Minster" (monastic church), sits as the central building of one of the most important dioceses in the Anglican church, second only to Canterbury. The Minster was preceded at its current site by several different Saxon and then Norman buildings, the first of which was built for the baptism of Kind Edwin of Northumbria in 627. The present cathedral is built on the foundations of these buildings and was begun around 1220, motivated particularly by concern that York not be outshone by Canterbury, which had its own magnificent cathedral. The aspirations of the builders, however, appear to have been greater than their engineering skill, for the magnitude of the building forced them to use wooden vaulting instead of stone (Edwards). The two west towers were completed later than the central tower and just before the Minster was finally consecrated in 1472.

In addition to its immense proportions, York is known for its medieval stained glass, especially the impressive east window in the Lady Chapel. This window, completed in just three years (1405-1408), depicts scenes from Genesis and Revelation and is one of the largest windows from its period in the world. In general, the cathedral is a mix of the English early Gothic (the choir) and high Gothic (principally the nave) architectural styles. Since the completion of its initial construction, several fires, including ones in 1829, 1840, and 1984, have necessitated large-scale repairs, and continued cleaning and replacement of the exterior has been required by the effects of pollution.

When you first walk through the stone archway that serves as the front door to York Minster you are immediately taken aback by the sheer amount of space that the wispy Gothic walls enclose. The nave is the widest in all of England and the polished stone floor seemingly extends endlessly in all directions. The choir screen is set well towards the opposite end of the cathedral allowing one to really take in the open expanse that is covered by intricately gilded vaulting. The wide nave leaves precious little space for the narrow aisles that silently flank it, while the equally spaced columns rise gracefully towards the sky. The sensation within York Minster is one that contrasts greatly with that of Durham just to the north. Where Durham Cathedral is dark and low York Minster is radiating with brightly painted walls and shiny gold-lined vaulting.

Right next to the Minster is the octagonal Chapter House, which continues to serve as a meeting place for the Dean and canons of York.This building was designed and built between 1270 and 1290 and was heavily influenced by French Gothic architecture as the ornate stone vaulting and wide airy windows attest. Together they create a small Gothic dome that is unique among English Cathedral architecture.