For many people, the first stop in Yorkshire is the historic cathedral city of York. Much of the city's medieval and 18th-century architecture has survived, making it a delight to explore. It's one of the most popular short-stay destinations in Britain and only three hours by train from London's King's Cross Station.
York was the military capital of Roman Britain, when it was known as Eboracum, and traces of Roman garrison buildings survive throughout the city. After the Empire's collapse in the 5th century, the Saxons built Eoforwic on the ruins of a fort, but were soon defeated by Vikings, who called the city Jorvik and used it as a base from which to subjugate the countryside. When the Normans arrived in the 11th century, they emulated the Vikings by using the city as a military base. They also established the foundations of York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. The timber-framed buildings on the medieval street known as the Shambles suggest what the city looked like in Tudor times.
