Our first full day in York (#4)

 A good night's sleep was just what we needed before hitting the ground running on our walking tour of York!  We have really gotten into free walking tours that seem to be offered in so many European cities.  We have done them in Bruges, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Bordeaux.  So we were thrilled to see them offered in York.  These tours are led by guides who just love their city and want to share it's history with visitors.  After a lovely breakfast we walked to Exhibition Square (about 15 minutes from our home-base), where we met our guide, Colin, and about 9 other tourists.  Our guide has lived his whole life in York, and has been a guide (certified/licensed by the city) for 22 years - this guy knew his history! 

To sum up 2000 years of layered history, York was founded by the Romans in 71bc and was called Eboracum. It served as the base for several Roman Emperors.  It served as a military outpost, and we learned that nobody really knows why the Romas left...Colin said the best bet was that they abandoned the city to move north to fight the Scots...but this has never been proven.  Once the Romans moved out, the Anglo-Saxons  moved in during the 7th century and named it Eoforwic and it became religious hub.  Eventually in 866AD the Vikings captured it and named it Jorvik and it became major trading city.  The Normans came in next under William the Conquerer (the Norman Conquest!), and it was rebuilt and grew into England's most important medieval city (second only to London); it was at this time the enormous York Minster was built.  York's influence declined in later years, later reviving itself as a railway center in the 19th century, and a very important producer of chocolates!  Whew...history class is over, now time for some photos of things we saw on our tour!  But it really is so fascinating how all these layers of history are intertwined in this area.  And crazy that the US is preparing to celebrate our 250th birthday this summer...and this town has 2000+ of history!

The ancient Roman walls at the bottom, were later built up in Medieval times.  The Roman walls actually go below the ground level...the actual ground level just raised up over the centuries as the city was built upon.  It just so amazing tome that so much of the wall are still standing...over 2000 years old!

These were Roman sarcophagus that were moved during Victorian times and used as planter boxes!

More medieval walls on too\p of Roman walls, with Roman sarcophagus (aka Victorian planter boxes!)

The intrepid guide, Colin, leading us around the (narrow) ramparts.  We walked along the medieval walls that were build on top of the Roman walls.

Guess what?  When old stone buildings need repair and preservation, you need stonemasons who are skilled enough to do the work!  This is a stonemason school so modern people can learn old skills so necessary repairs can be made.  Who ever thought you could learn to be a stonemason in modern times so you could repair structures that are centuries old?!

Under these plants is an air-raid shelter from the WWI.  They dis-assembled all the stand glass windows from the enormous "Minster" (biggest Norman church north of the Alps) and put them here for safekeeping.  They were re-assembled after the war.  In WW2, however, they were afraid the Nazis would bomb  more accurately and this would no longer be a safe spot, so they dis-assembled ALL the windows, packed each windows separately, and spread them all throughout York in private homes.  Locals were honored too protect these priceless medieval windows.  After the war, they were returned, reassembled and put back in the Minster!

This is just one tiny bit of the Minster...it is HUGE...no wonder it took fro 1220-1470 to build.  (Granted, it started small, then just kept being added to!)

 In the background is the enormous Minster, in the foreground is the Treasurer's home, now a lovely (and pricey) hotel.  The grounds of they hotel were really beautiful, and I loved this huge grassy lawn with tables!

This photo really doesn't do justice to show how large this window is.  Supposedly the largest stained glass window in the world.

One of the original gates into the old city of York...cars now drive through where Roman soldiers once marched. We walked around part of the city on top of these ramparts.

 

This Benedictine abbey was build in the 11th century.  Eventually Henry VIII dismantled it, selling off the stones.  This is all that remains.  A public park has grown around it, and it is currently set up for an outdoor concert.  People were picnicking, walking dogs, lounging in the beautiful sunny weather - what a treasure to have in the center of the city!

I love the crests above some of the old buildings!

This one is from 1490 and is King Charles I coat of arms...Fancy!!