York is a historic walled city in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss. The city is noted for its rich history, playing an important role throughout much of its nearly 2000-year existence. The city was founded as Eboracum in AD 71 by the Romans and was made one of the two capitals of all Roman Britain. The entire Roman Empire was governed from York for two years by Septimus Severus. After the Angles moved in, the city was renamed Eoferwic, and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Northumbria. The Vikings captured the city in 866, renaming it Jórvík. Around the year 1000, the city became known as York.

York Minster is the second-largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe (behind Cologne Cathedral) and is situated in the city of York. It is the seat of the Archbishop of York, and cathedral for the Diocese of York. Its formal title is The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York. The nave contains the West Window, constructed in 1338, and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. In the north transept is the Five Sisters Window, each lancet being over 16 metres high. The south transept contains the famous Rose window.