Welcome to Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral is one of the great buildings of Europe. Set grandly on a rocky promontory next to the Castle with the medieval city huddled below and the river sweeping round, the profile of the World Heritage Site is instantly recognisable to people travelling up and down the East Coast Main Line.

Why is this marvellous Cathedral here at all? Here is what we believe about its identity down the centuries and today, and how we as its living community understand our role as its guardians:

Durham Cathedral is a Christian Church of the Anglican Communion, the shrine of St Cuthbert, the seat of the Bishop of Durham and a focus of pilgrimage and spirituality in North East England. We inhabit a treasured sacred space set in the natural and human landscape of the World Heritage Site.

And here is our purpose:

To worship God, share the gospel of Jesus Christ, welcome all who come, celebrate and pass on our rich Christian heritage, and discover our place in God's creation.

What this means you will discover as you browse this site. You are most welcome as our guest whether you come in person or visit us online. We hope that you glimpse something of what this holy and beautiful place stands for. We hope too that you enjoy sharing our life for a while and are inspired by what you find here.

The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett,
Dean of Durham