Knowing how the British city of York was in the Viking Age is possible. In the tenth century, the city was called Jorvik, and precisely with this name is one of the most visited attractions in the city and around the UK: The Jorvik Viking Centre.
Over 16 million visitors have already discovered York’s Viking past since Jorkiv opened its doors in 1984. In this Viking Centre there are several ingredients to ensure an enjoyable visit for young and old visitors.
The first thing you find when entering Jorvik Viking Centre is Coppergate, an excavation with objects of more than 1000 years of antiquity to help understand how the Vikings lived and died. In addition, there are several screens with videos and interactive documents that complement the information.
And then comes what for us is the highlight of the visit, because you will be able to go all over an authentic Viking town. Not any, concretely Jorvik, that is, York a few centuries ago.
Riding a car we see the main streets of Jorvik (a reproduction, of course). We see their lifestyle, how the people were, what they did, where the river was, what they did in it…
The fidelity with which the Viking life is reflected makes you almost inadvertently travel to another era. The houses, fabrics, animals, faces of the characters… and odors deserve special attention. If in the tour you passed by a house where they were cooking you can smell the stew!
By the way, this tour is perfectly explained. In each car there is an audio system that allows you to select up to six different languages.
The last part of the tour is an exhibition in which we again see objects of that time, human remains and several ‘real’ Vikings that teach us the work of back then. Also, you will see an exhibition that explains the end of the Vikings and why their era ended in 1066.
Jorvik Viking Centre is open all year from 10:00 to 17:00, except for the period between November 4 and March 31 as last admission is at 16:00. Admission costs 10.25 pounds for adults and 7.25 for children, although there are special offers if you visit also other places of Jorvik group as DIG or Barley Hall.
Photos: Tetramesh, Tiuku Talvela.
