York Minster is probably the finest Gothic building in Europe and its three towers dominate the York skyline.
Unfortunately it is an expensive building to maintain and visitors are charged £10 (£9 for concessions) entry fee. This is valid for 12 months and there is a sense of great satisfaction in waving your ticket and jumping the long queues of people waiting to pay.
There is free entry to the back of the nave, and many people just get this far to take a photograph and then leave. Alternatively, you can attend a service, but then photographs are not allowed.
It is very easy to spend several hours in the minster, enjoying the building – its architecture and stained glass windows. The minster has one of the best collections of stained glass in England, with only Canterbury Cathedral having more. The Five Sisters windows in the north transept dating from 1250 are the largest expanse of grisaille glass to exist in the world.
The “exhibition”:http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/attraction/163080-review-york-minster in the undercroft covers 2000 years of York history from Roman York to the present day.
Minster tours are included in the entry fee and take place regularly throughout the day. They take about an hour and are worth doing as they give an overview of the history of the minster from the earliest C7th church, as well as looking at the architecture and telling stories of the people.
The energetic, for a small additional fee, can climb the 275 steps up the minster tower for views across the city.
There is a shop, but no cafe, although there are plenty of eating places close by.
There are services with a midday Eucharist and a “choral Evensong.”:http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/attraction/162880-review-york-minster This is a wonderful way to finish the day.
ACCESSIBILITY
There is ramped access to the Minster and all ground floor areas are accessible apart from the altar sanctuary which is reached up steps. There is a lift to enter or leave the exhibition in the undercroft. There are accessible toilets and a hearing loop is fitted with the exception of the chapter house.
There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/churches/england/yorkshire/north_yorkshire/york/york_1/minster/index.html
