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What’s Here
¼â½ÐÊÓƵappWorld Heritage site was inscribed by UNESCO in 1986 in recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value, becoming one of the first UK sites to be listed. The site has remained in constant use for 1000 years as a centre for religion, education and pilgrimage.
¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCathedral was built between the late 11th to early 12th centuries to house the shrines of the Venerable Bede and St Cuthbert. ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCastle was built by the Normans to protect the English borders from Scottish invaders.
Together, ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCathedral and ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCastle form one of the greatest monuments of the Norman Conquest of Britain. Indeed, ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCathedral is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in the whole of Europe.
The Castle and Cathedral also reflect the fascinating political history of ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappand the unique status of the Prince Bishops of Durham. These religious leaders also held significant secular power, and governed a virtually autonomous state that formed a buffer between England and Scotland from the late 11th century until 1603.
More recently, ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappCastle and other buildings on the World Heritage site have become the home of ¼â½ÐÊÓƵapp – the third oldest university in England.
Visit ¼â½ÐÊÓƵappWorld Heritage Site and learn about the history of Durham, the spread of Christianity in the North East of England and how local partners are working with UNESCO to protect the site for future generations.