York is a large city in the county of North Yorkshire, in the north of England. It’s famous for York Minster, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in Europe, this can be seen in the city centre and is the main attraction for tourists. The city dates back to Roman times and was founded in 71 AD, as a fortress for soldiers. In fact the site of the Roman fortress lies under the foundations of York Minster and insider York Minster today are some exhibits showing parts of the original fortress walls.
In the period of the English Civil War the city was besieged by the Parliamentarians, which led to many of the houses on the outskirts being lost. Just outside York one of the defining battles of the War was fought at Marston Moor. Anyone with an interest in history can go there and see the fields on which the battle was fought.
In the 19th century the railway was brought to York and at the turn of the 20th century York was a major railway centre in the north of England. This led to the city becoming renowned for another industry, confectionary. The railway was instrumental in the expansion of Rowntree’s Cocoa Works, which was based in York, as well as Terry’s Confectionery Works. Both companies are still trading today and still employ many workers in their factories.
With the boom in tourism encountered in the post-war period York was designated a conservation area in the 1960s. This led to the establishment of the University of York in 1963 and the National Railway Museum in 1975, both of which added to the prosperity of the city and are tourist attractions in their own rights. The city was voted as European Tourism City of the Year in 2007, beating 130 other cities in Europe to gain the first place.
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