York Minster is closed for sightseeing from Monday 11 to Friday 15 November for York St John University graduations. We remain open for worship.

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South Transept

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Central Tower

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North Transept

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Chapter House

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Quire

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East End

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Undercroft Museum

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Treasury

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Crypt

Toilets

Disabled Access

Main Entrance

Exit

Shop

Information

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South Transept

Begun in around 1220, the South Transept is the earliest part of the cathedral. The wooden roof was rebuilt following a fire in 1984, which started after the Minster was struck by lightning, and six new bosses were designed and installed following a competition run with the BBC’s Blue Peter programme.

Central Tower

The highest point in York and large enough to fit the Leaning Tower of Pisa inside, the Central Tower was originally built between around 1220 and 1253. It is the only part of the current cathedral to have collapsed, which happened in 1407 due to soft soil beneath its foundations. Climb the 275 steps to take in panoramic views of the city.

North Transept

This area is dominated by the Five Sisters Window - the only memorial in the country to women of the British Empire who lost their lives during the First World War. The window, which dates from the mid-1200s, was restored and rededicated between 1923 and 1925 after it was removed during the First World War to protect it during Zeppelin raids.

Chapter House

One of York Minster’s architectural gems, the Chapter House contains some of the Minster’s finest carvings and in 1297 was used as the location for the Parliament of King Edward I. The octagonal space dates from the 1280s and its magnificent, vaulted ceiling is supported by timbers in the roof, instead of a central column, which is the earliest example of its kind to use this revolutionary engineering technique.

Quire

Most sung services, including our Evensong service, take place in the Quire. Built between 1361 and the 1420s, much of the original structure was destroyed in a fire started deliberately in 1829.

East End

The wider East End houses the newly restored 15th century Great East Window, the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the country.

Undercroft Museum

Explore 2,000 years of history housed in state-of-the-art interactive chambers beneath the Minster. Visitors to the Undercroft, an accredited museum, can see the remains of Roman barracks, discover the Minster’s Viking connections and see artefacts never before on public display.

Treasury

The Treasury has displayed objects from the Minster’s 300,000 strong historic collection since the 1970s. You can see part of the original Roman Principia – the administrative and religious centre of the Roman fort on which the cathedral is built – through the Treasury’s glass floor.

Crypt

The Minster has two Crypts, with the Western one rediscovered and brought back into use following a fire in 1829. It houses the tomb of St William of York, the only saint to be buried at the cathedral, who was canonised in 1227.

Wider Area Map

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Main Entrance

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Minster Shops

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The Old Palace

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St William’s College

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Mason's Lodge and Works Department

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York Minster Refectory

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Minster Gardens

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College Green

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Dean’s Park

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Main Entrance

The main entrance to the cathedral can be found at its West End, which faces Duncombe Place. This includes ramped wheelchair access.

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Minster Shops

The Minster has two Shops, one inside the cathedral and one at 9 Minster Gates, which offer a range of exclusive Minster-inspired gifts. You can also shop online here.

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The Old Palace

The Old Palace houses the cathedral’s library and archives and the team responsible for caring for the thousands of items in our historic collections. There is a small exhibition in reception and modern library material is available to browse.

An appointment is required to consult historic material, and a borrower’s ticket is required to borrow books from our loan collection.

Learn more about our collections here.

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St William’s College

Once described as ‘the most prestigious timber framed building in York’, St William’s College dates back to 1465 and is one of the oldest structures in the city. Its Grade 1-listed status places it amongst the top 2.5% of the most important listed buildings in the country. It is currently closed for essential repair and conservation work.

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Mason's Lodge and Works Department

Our Works Department has a range of skilled craftsmen and women who look after the 800-year-old cathedral and its precinct properties including stonemasons, joiners, electricians, scaffolders, gardeners and labourers. See York Minster’s stonemasons at work in the Masons’ Lodge, a covered outdoor area used as a work space by the team.

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York Minster Refectory

The grade 2 listed former York Minster School built in the 1830s with unique views of York Minster, now a brasserie style restaurant serving up all day refreshments and modern British dishes using local produce and suppliers from in and around Yorkshire. See full details here.

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Minster Gardens

A new public park nestled between the York Minster Refectory and the Minster’s popular South Piazza, with stunning views of the cathedral. The area includes a sensory planting scheme and offers the perfect place to relax and enjoy the view. The park is open daily until 5pm.

 

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College Green

A vibrant green space in the heart of York, College Green reopened in March 2023 following a major redesign. The space takes inspiration from the cathedral’s Great East Window, and includes new seating and low-level play features for families, planted with trees, shrubs and flowers chosen to attract pollinators, wildlife and for their sensory and well-being properties.

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Dean’s Park

Spot our resident Peregrine Falcons while relaxing in the popular Dean’s Park, a grassed area open to the public throughout the year, generally from dawn until dusk.

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