York is situated where the rivers Ouse and Fess meet. This area is known as the Vale of York. It is an area of fertile land surrounded by the Pennines, North York Moors, and the Wolds. As a flat area of land, it is highly susceptible to flooding from the River Ouse.



To prevent this, a flood defense system has been put in place. Unfortunately, the system isn't entirely foolproof, so in October and November of 2000, the city suffered a flood of levels not seen in over 350 years. The flood caused a lot of damage even though it never managed to breach the floodwalls, which had been reinforced with sandbags. In spite of its flood defenses, a great deal of the land within the city isn't considered suitable for building because of its propensity to flood.

York was founded in 71 AD and was the capital of the Roman Province of Britannia Inferior. The name "York" originally came from the old Latin name for the city, Eboracum, meaning "place of yew trees." It later became the county seat of the Archbishop of York, and remains so today.

Although York was considered an important city for quite some time, it lost some of its prominence during the Industrial Revolution. Though it probably wasn't considered a good turn at the time, it was this decline in reputation that resulted in the great number of medieval buildings that are still intact there today. When the 19th century brought about a new interest in medieval culture, the city was renovated and now garners a lot of attention from tourists.

There are a number of attractions for tourists to visit in York, England. One of them is York Minster. This enormous Gothic cathedral is at the center of the city and is the largest cathedral of its kind in Europe.

The center of the city is still surrounded by walls built in medieval times. Within the walls is Clifford's Tower, which is a keep built atop a Norman motte. Clifford's Tower has the dubious distinction of being the location of a horrible massacre of Jews in 1190.

Also inside the city is The Shambles, a medieval street where there are many boutiques, shops, and tearooms. Many of these businesses are housed in former butcher shops, so the hooks and shelves once used to display meats are still apparent in some of them. Another attraction along The Shambles is the Shrine of Margaret Clitherow.

The Snickelways is also located in the center of York. The Snickelways are a network of pedestrian routes that lead to what was once the main marketplace. Also within the city are many museums, such as the Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum and Gardens, the York Art Gallery, and many more.

York is also a major destination for people interested in horse racing. In the Knavesmire area of York is the York Racecourse.

Another reason many tourists choose to travel to York is its many pubs and medieval churches. Some say that a spot doesn't exist in York where you can't stand within site of both a church and a pub. While that might be an exaggeration, the city is indeed known for its many charming pubs.

Tourists visiting York will enjoy access to a variety of vacation accommodations, such as hotels and holiday apartments.