York Tourism

admin ♦ June 14, 2010 ♦ 2 Comments

York is an ancient cathedral city with a history that dates back to before Roman times. It is situated in the heart of Yorkshire in North Yorkshire with some of the best preserved historical buildings and structures in Europe.

York was known as Eboracum by the Romans, who founded the fortress city on the River Ouse in the year 71. York was home first to the Ninth Legion and later the Sixth. York quickly became one of the most important cities in Roman Britain, and after 211 became the capital of the province Britannia Inferior. Constantine the Great—later responsible for making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire—was first proclaimed Emperor in the city.

Captured by the Vikings 866, the city quickly took on a new identity as Jorvik (pronounced “Yor-vik”) and experienced a major urban revival as a centre of Viking trade and settlement in northern England. The Cooperate excavations of the 1970s revealed much of this Viking past.

York is a fairly small city – well worth a visit but anything longer than 4 days and you will probably have had enough.

York is known as England’s “City of Festivals” as there are regular cultural festivals every year. The official festivals are the Viking Festival, the Roman Festival, the Ghost Festival, the Festival of Angels, Jazz, Early Music, Late Music, Digital Arts, Horse Racing (the “Ebor Race Meeting”), Learning Festival, Multicultural Food and Arts, Chinese New Year, Lesbian Arts, Christmas St Nicholas’ Fair, and the Food and Drink Festival. It’s a romantic city for a weekend break. York is full of magic and a wonderful place to bring children!Error processing request