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England

Things you probably didn't know about Durham

A peninsula, a cathedral and the Prince Bishops.

  1. 1093 — fact 1 of 4

    One of Europe’s greatest cathedrals

    Durham Cathedral, begun in 1093, holds the finest Romanesque interior in Europe — and St Cuthbert’s shrine.

  2. Fact 2 of 4

    Bishops who ruled like kings

    Durham’s Prince Bishops held their own courts, minted coins and ruled the turbulent north for centuries.

  3. Fact 3 of 4

    A peninsula fortress

    The Norman castle and cathedral sit on a wooded peninsula looped by the River Wear — one of the most dramatic city settings in England.

  4. 1986 — fact 4 of 4

    A whole World Heritage Site in one glance

    Castle and cathedral together form one of Britain’s first World Heritage Sites, designated in 1986.

    See what 1986 was like →

Our Durham collection is part of a growing local-history library — more cities and facts are being added.

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