York Minster, one of the world’s most significant cultural and religious sites, has today launched its presence on the Bloomberg Connects app, joining over 1,100 arts and culture organisations across the world.

The app, which has over 5.7 million users, includes a downloadable guide to the Minster available in over 50 languages, encouraging international visitors to explore some of the building’s incredible highlights including the medieval Chapter House and the Great East Window, the single largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the country.

The Minster welcomes over half a million visitors every year. It was recently voted by Tripadvisor’s users as the “Best of the Best”, putting it in the top 1% of visitor attractions worldwide. As the second most senior Anglican church in the country, it hosts significant religious and cultural events including His Majesty King Charles III’s first Royal Maundy as monarch. This year it is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the rededication of its iconic Five Sisters Window as the first, and still the only, national memorial to women who died during World War One.

The Bloomberg Connects app is designed to complement the team of volunteer Minster Guides who offer tours of the building, and whose expert knowledge can help visitors to dig deeper into the 1,398 years of history encapsulated in York Minster. Lisa Power, Head of Events and Participation at the Minster, explains more:

“We are delighted to be able to provide a new way for our visitors to interact with this incredible place. We think this will be particularly useful for people with English as a second language, but you don’t have to visit to download the app – give it a try at home and come armed ready to ask our experts questions about your favourite places, spaces and stories from the Minster.”