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Durham Cathedral

Daily

Cost: Free, but £4 donation per adult is greatly appreciated

Hours: Sun 12.30am-5.30pm; Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm

Described by Bill Bryson as "the best cathedral on planet Earth", Durham's towering West Front and soaring Romanesque nave occupies a site of worship that dates back 900 years. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in conjunction with Durham Castle, the cathedral is the final resting place of the 7th-century St Cuthbert, founder of Lindisfarne monastery and of Bede, his superb chronicler. It is a site of deep spiritual, world architectural and national historical significance.

Situated on a rocky promontory on a bend in the river Wear, the cathedral was for centuries the seat of the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham. Mostly loyal to the English king, they performed the important function of keeping the Scots at bay - Walter Scott described the cathedral as "half Church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot".

Begun in 1093 and completed nearly 40 years later, the cathedral is the archetypal example of the Anglo-Norman Romanesque style and is one of the great buildings of its age in Europe. Over 400 feet in length, the nave has a rib vaulted ceiling older than any other in Europe - a remarkable achievement of medieval building.

The interior boasts St Cuthbert's 7th-century tomb, the original Monks' Dormitory which has a splendid hammer-beam roof and a library of priceless medieval illuminated gospels. An audio-visual exhibition brings the history of the impressive edifice to life. You can also climb the tower, but with 352 steps it should not be attempted by the infirm or those with heart problems.

The cathedral has a proud and unbroken choral tradition which thrives to this day. For 600 years chorister boys have been educated in return for giving their sweet and pure voices to praise the divine. The famous Durham Cathedral choir performs eight times a week - at Evensong daily (except Monday) and Matins, Holy Communion and Evensong on Sunday. They have toured to the USA, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany and Brazil and are frequently heard on national TV and radio. Try to time your visit to catch them if you can.

Durham Cathedral

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