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| Minster Tower Drawn by Jana Anderson |
I was happy to get the chance to go up into the tower of York Minster. Although it was a long climb and it being somewhat claustrophobic in there, it was also exciting to see the town and York Minster from such a vantage point. The walls on either side of the staircase are too close for comfort; one could easily extend both arms and touch each wall. And the design of the staircase, though compact, makes for an exhausting climb. I could imagine people climbing those stairs centuries ago and wondered how they avoided breaking their own necks. With steep uneven steps, sometimes too close together and other times so far apart that if you weren’t looking down you would doubt the next step existed. I believe I would trip if it weren’t for the conveniently placed railing. This stairwell wasn’t designed for beauty, it had a practical purpose.
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| From opposite side. The stairwell is inside the left hand corner pillar. |
The stairwell itself only had a few spaced out lights installed and small windows carved through the stone walls. As small as the windows are, they still provide enough light and a good view of what is around us outside. They also happen to be a nice place to sit apparently since I passed one women resting on the ledge in front of a window on my way up.
While I was climbing those steps, the realization of the magnitude of these magnificent buildings really sank in. It hit me how truly amazing it is that in a time so long ago, people could not only imagine masterpieces like these but also could bring them to life, fully actualized. Something like the York Minster took thousands of people to create and centuries to both build and constantly restore. It really is a testament to our persistence and imagination.
Jana that is a great drawing!!
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