JORVIK Viking Centre

Today, York celebrates its Viking history through the Jorvik Viking Centre.

The city of York entered into a period under rule by Viking warriors from Scandinavia in 866AD, making York the capital of the wider kingdom of Northern England. At this point the name of the city changed to Jorvik, the name also given to the rest of the Viking kingdom. After the Norman Conquest, Jorvik altered into the modern name York, first coined in the 13th Century.

Under Viking rule, the city of Jorvik flourished and became a major port on the trade routes of the time. This increase in trade and trading saw the ruling Vikings integrate into society, rather than rule the kingdom with an iron fist.

The Jorvik Viking Centre was designed by John Sunderland and opened in April 1984. Since it first opened its doors, fifteen million visitors have enjoyed the splendour of the Jorvik Viking Centre’s historical exhibit.

The Centre boasts recreated Viking streets, showing how the city of York would have looked in the 10th Century. With these streets as a starting point, the Jorvik centre also has three vibrant exhibitions showing many Viking artifacts that have been found in and around the city of York. Some of these pieces were actually found in the old Viking Street Coppergate, where the Centre resides- many people do not realise that York’s Coppergate is one of the best Viking excavation sites in the world.

Visiting the Jorvik Viking Centre

The Centre is open seven days a week from 10am in the morning to 5pm in the afternoon.  Jorvik Viking Centre is open on all Bank Holidays including New Years day, with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas day and Boxing Day.

How to find the Jorvik Viking Centre

By rail: walk out of the railway station and turn right up Station Avenue. After a short walk you will see Rougier Street ahead, walk up Rougier Street (past the bus station) continuing to the end and turn left onto Micklegate. Walk up Micklegate as it turns into Bridge Street and Low Ousegate. As you walk up Low Ouse it will make a sharp turn to the right and turn into Nesgate, when this happens you will see Coppergate on your left. The Jorvik Viking Centre is within the Coppergate Shopping Centre located on your right.

By car: follow the signs into the city for the Coppergate shopping centre and park at the Tower Street car park. From the car park, the Jorvik Viking Centre is a three- or four- minute walk up Castlegate, and is located on your right.

Prices:

Address:
JORVIK Viking Centre
Coppergate
York
YO1 9WT

01904 543400