Durham Cathedral
Only one word comes to mind when I think of Durham Cathedral: BIG! This structure appeared to be the biggest cathedral that I've seen. Now, I don't know that the actual measurements would confirm my impression. I just know that it looks very imposing.
It also is the most solid looking cathedral I've seen. Canterbury's structure hints at a sense of solidity. But, it is a pale imitation of the feeling imposed by Durham. I think the sense of bigness and solidity stem from both the cathedral's physical location and the building's uniform construction. The cathedral's located on a rocky point overlooking the River Wear. That location enables the structure to tower over the town and surrounding countryside. The location is augmented by the fact that the cathedral was built in a relatively uniform Romanesque style. The common style makes the structure looks monolithic. It also looks like a natural extension of the rocky ground upon which it sits. Bottom line: the exterior of the cathedral is as impressive as anything I've seen.
We certainly got an appropriate entrance to Durham Cathedral. As I mentioned on my other pages, we only got to see the exterior when we first arrived. However, we did get to hear a choir rehearsal that lent a wonderful atmosphere to the cathedral complex. I didn't think that experience could be topped. But, I discovered the next morning that I was wrong. The path from the town's square to the cathedral is a narrow, cobblestone paved street. Lining both sides of the street almost up to the top of the point upon which the cathedral sits are buildings that average about three stories in height. Since it was early in the morning, there weren't any cars using the road. So, we walked in the middle of the street. It's an uphill walk from the square to the cathedral. As one usually does when walking uphill, I was slightly bowed forward. Then, about halfway up the hill, the bells of the cathedral started ringing. Instantly, I felt like I was being transported back in time. I could easily image myself as a monk walking up the hill in the stillness of the morning while being called to Mass by the bells.
Durham Cathedral is open from 7 a.m until 8 p.m. in the summer. However, tourists are not allowed into most of it until after 9:30 a.m. because of morning services. Still, one can go into the Galilee Chapel until the rest of the building is opened. There's enough in that chapel alone to make for an interesting visit. The chapel boasts 12th century frescos, marble pillars, a stunning triptych altarpiece, and the tomb of a saint (the Venerable Bede,a noted Church historian, is buried in the chapel). Overall, the Galilee Chapel has a vaguely Arabian quality to it. The multitude of decorated pillars and arches stylistically echo those in the Moorish palaces of Spain. These decorations and features are repeated in the cathedral proper. Thus, the Galilee Chapel makes a great introduction to the cathedral as a whole.
There's a black marble line running across the width of the nave not far from the Galilee Chapel. That line was a boundary for women in the Middle Ages. They could not go past that line into the rest of the Cathedral. While that practice may sound very sexist to modern ears, I actually think women got a pretty good deal. They ended up with the perfect view in the whole church. It's the best place to get a feel of how massive and imposing this structure is. From that point, one can also see the geometric ornamentation on the massive pillars that dominate the nave. One can also see the ornamentation of the choir, and the huge east window. While it may sound like Durham is ornamented like other cathedrals, there's actually very little decoration in the interior. To be honest, I'd have to say that the overriding theme to the decoration is brutal efficiency. Lonely Planet describes it as a cave that's only partially artificial. I can't think of a better description of the interior.
I've read that the medieval cathedral was built to be an eternal statement about the power of God. That description certainly fits Durham. While I still think Ely is the best cathedral in England, Durham is easily the most physically impressive cathedral I've seen. This should be a must visit on any tourist's list. There's no charge to enter, but a donation is strongly requested. Also, photography and videotaping is strictly forbidden. If you want pictures of the interior, you'll need to go to the excellent bookstore in the cathedral's cloisters.
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