Durham Cathedral: Readers choice for Britain's best building

Durham Cathedral: Readers choice for Britain's best building

In September, we asked you to vote for the building you thought should be included in our Britain's best buildings series, and you chose Durham Cathedral. We were as good as our word -- so, concluding our series celebrating the best of UK architecture, design critic Jonathan Glancey explores this astonishing building's history and looks at what it tells us about architecture today

[monks]

I am from the US and made a special trip to Durham just to see the cathedral. It is breathtaking in every way. I spent 3 hours there and was aided by a lovely docent who offered to give me private tours to various parts of the building. When you go make sure to see the magnificent brass panel “ I am the Morning Star”, just one of many treasures.

[georgealderson]

I have visited several times amd feel at home. Thank you for the video-9 minutes well spent even at 3.45am. Blessings and peace to everyone

[IamSquirrel]

Doing my maternal genealogy and adore this short video. I am direct descendant of a Durham. He decided to go to Scotland and fight with Robert the Bruce. My family still carries the Durham name. Thanks.

[briansmith]

The ceiling vaults look quadripartite, having 4 bays, (see 5:36) but many written descriptions state they were sexpartite, or 6-bay, vaults. For comparison, Notre Dame de Paris has, or had, sexpartite vaults. The Wikipedia entry (not exactly a scholarly source) for the cathedral has the following: "There is controversy between John James and Malcolm Thurlby on whether these rib vaults were four-part or six-part, which remains unresolved." Perhaps the weaker 6-bay design was replaced by the stronger 4-bay vault at some point. The design for the vaults seems to have been a logical progression from an earlier and simpler ribbed vault design as found in Lessay Abbey in Normandy to the more-complicated architecture at Durham.

[matthehat]

Did he seriously just sit on Bede?? I'm by no means religious, but that's really not on

[andyconroy]

Laila (31 today 05 April 2015)
woz here when aged 12 (probably on Sunday 28 July 1996).
Unfortunately The Shrine of
Saint Cuthbert area of The Cathedral was closed off so
she has yet to visit The Shrine.

[Drivingdrew]

I gotta visit this place..my last name is Durham..😮

[SeedsofJoy]

Does anybody know the chamber music at the very end of the video?

[Bits_of_Math]

Does anyone know the choral pieces that accompanied the documentary?

[joshuadavies]

Does anyone know the name of the piece of music which is heard at the beginning of the video? Thanks in advance

[MercurialRed]

Not a big fan of religion with, Chris Hob, but these cathedrals are still stunning pieces of architecture, especially considering when these were built.

[AndreasMartinLaute]

I think the biggest Romanesque Cathedral in Europe is situated in Speyer, Germany.

[dinerouk]

Bill Bryson, ex-US citizen and travel writer was once Chancellor here.

[ilkercolak]

I want to subbtitle for that video how can I get it or can you add subtitle for taht video

[Aristocles]

They used this in Avengers Endgame for some of the pillars in Asgard.

[omgletsdance]

I went there today cuz I was in the Durham coister

[sarumsurplice]

Jonathan Glancey seems to display little respect for some of the things in the Cathedral: sitting on Bede's tomb, leaning against an altar, etc.

[georginacox]

William The Conqueror came to Barking Abbey too.

[YooTuba]

I know, it doesn't seem like sitting on anyone's burial spot is good...especially when it's a piece of centuries-old stonework with artistic and historic value even if one isn't into religion.

[Aristocles]

Romanesque-style buildings were not an outgrowth of the Byzantine style, although there are some buildings (like Spoleto's Cathedral in Italy) which have Romanesque and Byzantine elements. This is not quite accurate, but then again, The Guardian rarely is.