York Minster

Yesterday I went to York and for the first time (I am ashamed to say) visited the Minster.
Initially I was quite shocked to find that paying to enter was compulsory (although there was a notice to say that if one wished to go in for worship it was free!) There were two "box offices" and we had to queue to get in.
But once inside this magnificent building we were overwhelmed by its beauty. I have mixed feelings about the paying but I do appreciate that these buildings take such an enormous amount of money to heat and maintain and I must say that everything was in superb order.
I took quite a few photographs and have posted some of them below. I thought readers of my blog might like a short tour.
It is the largest medieval gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. I quote from the brochure we were given:-
"A cathedral is the mother church of a diocese. It is where a bishop has his cathedra or "seat'".
York is also a minster, which was the Anglo Saxon name for a missionary church - a church built as a new centre for Christian worship. The first Minster in York was built as such a centre in 627AD"
I hope you enjoy looking at the photographs.