Photos of York, England

Clifford's Tower in York, was part of the fortification around York, including the wall build by the Romans (Hadrians Wall. Hadrian's Wall is an ancient fortified wall that crosses northern England at its narrowest point, between the River Tyne and the Solway Firth. Built by order of the Roman emperor HADRIAN, it reflects his conservative policy of consolidating Rome's imperial acquisitions. The Roman attempt to subjugate Scotland was abandoned, and construction of the wall as a permanent northern boundary for Roman-held territory was begun about AD 121 or 122. This wall was temporarily superseded by the ANTONINE WALL in 142, but it was reoccupied in 158 and remained the frontier after abandonment (c.180) of the Antonine fortifications until withdrawal (c.400) of the Roman army from Britain. Substantial sections of the wall still stand.	Some stretches of the wall were originally constructed of turf, but the entire 118-km (73.5-mi) length was later rebuilt in stone. It formed a barrier 2 to 3.5 m (6.6 to 11.5 ft) thick and about 7 m (23 ft) high, protected on either face by a ditch. The route was chosen to take advantage of available high ground. Towers containing gates were built into the wall at intervals of 1 Roman mile (about 1,500 m/1,665 yd), and two smaller turrets were placed at equal distances between each pair of "mile castles." The actual garrisons were housed in large forts constructed across or adjacent to the wall. Hadrian's Wall was not meant to serve as an actual line of defense, but rather as a barrier to large-scale, swift movement by hostile forces and as a screen behind which Roman troops could maneuver.
The City of York, Shopping and Pub District
The Guildhall near Landal Bridge, York
YORKMINSTER CATHEDRAL, York, English Gothic architecture is traditionally divided into three phases. The first is Early English Gothic, clear and austere in design but comparatively rich in color and texture, which lasted from the end of the 12th to the late 13th century; its representative buildings are Lincoln Cathedral (1192-1235) and SALISBURY CATHEDRAL (begun 1220). The next phase, preceded by another "French" building, WESTMINSTER ABBEY in London (begun 1245), is Decorated Gothic.	In keeping with its name, Decorated Gothic is characterized by rich carvings on surfaces, gables, and arches, complicated vaulting patterns, and elaborate window tracery--an innovation introduced at Westminster. Decorated Gothic also made extensive use of STAINED GLASS. It was the dominant style from about 1280 to the mid-14th century; its typical buildings include the naves of Exeter Cathedral (begun c.1280) and York Minster (begun c.1290) and the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral (1321-49).
Another View of York Minster