Durham Cathedral, North East of England.
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, which is almost always referred to as Durham Cathedral, in the city of Durham, County Durham, North East England, was founded in AD 1093 and remains a centre for Christian worship today. It is generally regarded as one of the finest examples of a Norman cathedral in Europe and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with nearby Durham Castle, which faces it across Palace Green, high above the River Wear.
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The Cathedral houses the shrine and related treasures of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, a 7th century saint, and these are on public view. It is also home to the head of St Oswald of Northumbria and the remains of the Venerable Bede. One can also climb the 325 steps to the top of the 217 feet (66 m) tall tower, from where an outstanding view of Durham and the surrounding area can be enjoyed.
There are regular services sung by the cathedral choir. Except for Mondays, and certain vacations, the choir sing every day.
The bishops of Durham were very powerful prince-bishops up to the mid-19th century. The seat of Bishop of Durham is still the fourth most significant in the Church of England hierarchy, and signposts for the modern day County Durham are nowadays subtitled "Land of the Prince Bishops."
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_Cathedral
Cathedral History
Durham Cathedral has been described as ‘one of the great architectural experiences of Europe’. It is renowned as a masterpiece of Romanesque (or Norman) architecture. It was begun in 1093 and largely completed within 40 years. It is the only cathedral in England to retain almost all of its Norman craftsmanship, and one of few to preserve the unity and integrity of its original design.
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The Cathedral was built as a place of worship, specifically to house the shrine of the North's best-loved saint, Cuthbert, in whose honour pilgrims came to Durham from all over England. It was also the home of a Benedictine monastic community. For more information about St Benedict and Benedictine monasticism in Durham visit The Order of Saint Benedict website. The Cathedral also served a political and military function by reinforcing the authority of the prince-bishops over England's northern border.
http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/history
The Durham Cathedral also listed as one of the world's heritage by Unesco.
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http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=370
If you come to this cathedral for the first time, i would strongly suggest you to go all the way up to the top of the tower to see the view of Durham. You will expected to drop some donations to help to run the cost of running the cathedral.
