Adam and Eve; York Minster contains some of the finest stained glass in the world

York Minster is the most important church in the North of England. It is the Cathedral church of the Archbishop of York, who is head of the Northern Province. In medieval times, the Minster was served by a small army of priests: from the ruling Dean and Chapter to the lowly chantry priests and Vicars Choral. The first York Minster was built in 627, and was probably a humble, circular, wooden building, very unlike today's great Cathedral. The Minster you see today was begun in 1220 and took thousands of men over 200 years to complete. It was built to glorify God, and to symbolise the richness of His kingdom on Earth. It holds the largest and most important collection of Medieval Stained Glass in the World and the entire building is adorned, inside and out, with elaborate carvings in stone and wood.