York

York city is situated at the confluence of river Ouse and Foss. According to the census done in mid-2016, York city has a total population of 208,400. The current name of the city has been derived from the Danish Yorvick. It was traditionally the ecclesiastical capital of northern England and is the cathedral city of the archbishop of York. The Romans founded the city in 71 AD. The ‘city of York’ term represented the unitary authority area and covered the rural areas beyond the boundaries of the old city.

The town became a famous tourist destination for millions of tourists for its unique and rich heritage, notable historical attractions and also offered a variety of cultural and sporting activities. The city of York is the 7th most visited city by the citizens of United Kingdom. The city of York is based on the service industry comprising health, finance, Information technology, education, etc. The service industry of the city generated an 88.7% of employment in the year 2000. The city of York Council is recognised as the biggest employer in the city, with more than 7,500 employees. Nestle, British Telecom, and CPP Group are some other major employers of the York city.

Governance

The city of York constituency represented by Hugh Bayley has covered the central part of the district from the year 1997-2010. Ryedale, Vale of York and Selby constituencies has covered the remaining portion. John Greenway, Anne McIntosh and John Grogan represent these three constituencies.

To form the York city as a municipal borough, the Municipal Corporation Act, 1835 reformed it. Under the Local Government Act 1888, the city of York gained the status of a county borough in the year 1889. There are total 47 councillors in the council of York city and 14 councillors in the Conservative Party.

Education

The main campus of the University of York is situated at Heslington. The University of York also has Hull York Medical School. York College and Askham Bryan College are two other educational institutions of the city. York College renders academic and vocational courses and is established by amalgamating the York Sixth Form College and York Technical College. Askham Bryan College provides education courses and vocational courses related to agriculture, animal management, horticulture, etc.

Primary and secondary schools of the York city are managed by the York City Council. Some famous schools in the city are St Peter’s School, Bootham School, The Minster School and The Mount School. In the year 2007, York High School was formed by merging Lowfield Comprehensive School and Oaklands Sports College.

Famous Attractions

• York Minster – It is extremely popular among the tourists for its medieval stained glass and stone masterpieces. It is one of the largest cathedrals of York city, northern Europe. York Minster is approximately 159.9 m in length.
• Clifford’s Tower – The tower is a proud symbol of the strength of England’s ancient kings. Clifford Tower is also known as the York Castle. William the Conqueror constructed it, and in the 13th century, it was rebuilt by Henry III.
• National Railway Museum – This award-winning museum describes the story of rail transport and its influence on society in Britain. Museum exhibits essential historical railway vehicles, artefacts and pictorial and written records as well.
• Yorkshire Museum – It is home to the finest collections of geological and archaeological finds in Europe. The building of the museum was designed in a Greek Revival Style by William Wilkins.
• Jorvik Viking Centre – It is one of the famous tourist attraction containing life-size dioramas and mannequins showing Viking life of the York city. In February, an annual Viking Festival is also organised.