Durham, England. Inspired by the earlier Heidelberg post, Durham is another old city on a dramatic position above a river (the Wear). Legend says it was founded thanks to a miraculous cow

https://i.redd.it/legufinyq3fd1.jpeg

by SilyLavage

6 comments

  1. The legend of the [Dun Cow](https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Durham/) is as follows:

    >In 995 AD, a group of monks were carrying the body of the Anglo-Saxon Saint Cuthbert as they sought safety from the Vikings. It is told that while they were wandering in the north, Saint Cuthbert’s bier came to a halt on the hill at Warden Law and the monks could not move it any further, no matter how hard they tried. The Bishop of Chester-le-Street (where Saint Cuthbert had previously lain) called a three day holy fast and prayers for the Saint. Saint Bede recalled that during this time, Saint Cuthbert appeared before one of the monks, Eadmer, and told him that his coffin must be taken to “Dun Holm”. After this revelation, the coffin was able to be moved again but none of the monks had heard of Dun Holm or knew where to find it. But by chance, they met a milkmaid on Mount Joy, south east of the site of Durham, who was wandering, searching for her lost Dun Cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm. Yes! Taking this as a sign from Saint Cuthbert, the monks followed the milkmaid who guided them to a “wooded hill-island formed by a tight gorge-like meander of the River Wear”, Dun Holm. When they arrived they built first a wooden and then a stone, structure of Durham Cathedral and around this the settlement grew.

    The current Durham Cathedral was originally constructed between 1063 and 1133, with later additions. As well as being one of the finest Romanesque buildings in Europe, it contains the earliest surviving example of a Gothic rib vault and the tombs of St Cuthbert and St Bede the Venerable.

    The city was described by the German-British architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘one of the great experiences of Europe to the eyes of those who appreciate architecture, and to the minds of those who understand architecture. The group of castle, cathedral, and monastery on the rock can only be compared to Avignon and Prague’. What do you think?

    Photo credit: [Peace Drone](https://x.com/DronePeace/status/1657477863078076428/photo/2)

  6. Congrats UK, very beautiful!, now you may apply to join us Central Europeans, just get the paper approval from the Germans.

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