York City Walls, York

York City Walls, York (must see)

The York City Walls in York are a historic and extensive fortification that has surrounded the city since Roman times. Today, York boasts more miles of intact walls than any other city in England, known collectively as the York City Walls, the Bar Walls, or, less accurately, the Roman Walls. The latter term is a misnomer since the majority of the surviving structure is not of Roman origin, and the layout of the walls has significantly evolved since the Roman period.

These walls originally date back to around 71 AD when the Romans built a wooden fort near the River Ouse, covering approximately 50 acres. The fort's rectangular boundary was integral to its defensive strategy. However, these early fortifications proved inadequate during the Viking invasions, necessitating the construction of more robust defenses.

Between the 12th and 14th centuries, a new stone wall was erected, utilizing the foundations of the old Roman walls and extending southwards across both sides of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. This expansion effectively enclosed the city, enhancing its defense against future threats. Today, the walls stand about 13 feet high and 6 feet wide, a testament to medieval engineering and strategic planning.

Access to the city is controlled through four main gates, also known as "bars": Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar, and Micklegate Bar. These gates not only served as toll collection points in medieval times but also played crucial roles in the city鈥檚 defense during wartime. Each gate has its unique historical significance and architectural features, contributing to the overall heritage of York鈥檚 medieval city defenses.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in York. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: York City Walls
Sight Location: York, England (See walking tours in York)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

York Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in York, England

Create Your Own Walk in York

Creating your own self-guided walk in York is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

York's Historical Pubs Tour

Yorkshire is a haven for real ale enthusiasts and York does live up to this reputation. Many of local pubs are as old as churches, having served their clients for centuries.

There's a plethora of historic pubs in the heart of York, offering an array of quality cask ales alongside a menu of hearty British food, served in a cozy, traditional atmosphere. Low ceilings, wonky floors and open... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

York's Historical Architecture

Being home to some of the best preserved historic architecture in England, York screams history and is undoubtedly the must-go destination for anyone keen on the country鈥檚 past. While the more recent history has also characterized York, it is the abundance of the ancient sites retained in their variety 鈥� from Medieval times to the Georgian and Victorian eras, and more 鈥� that makes the city... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles

York City Wall Tour

Known variously as the York City Walls, Bar Walls, or the Roman Walls (although very little of the extant stonework has remained since Roman times) are the historic monument encircling the Old Town of York.

The surviving portion of the town wall 鈥� 3.4km (2 miles) 鈥� is longer than anywhere else in England. Built mostly in the 13th century (of magnesian limestone, and set upon earthen... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles

York Introduction Walking Tour

Established by the ancient Romans in 71 AD, the city of York breathes history. It first appeared as a walled settlement when the Ninth Legion of Rome conquered the local tribe known as the Brigantes. The town became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Deira, Northumbria and J贸rv铆k, emerging as a major river port and part of the extensive trading... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles

York's Old Town

A vibrant city with Roman roots and a Viking past, York has played a central role throughout much of England鈥榮 history. Despite its small size, Old Town York boasts a wealth of colorful heritage that draws tourists in droves from all over the world.

The maze of historic streets 鈥� too narrow for vehicles, and therefore solely pedestrian 鈥� are packed with attractions fairly close to one... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

51爆料网