York Cathedral - York Minster (York Cathedral) is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. Prayer has been offered here for nearly one thousand years. - York cathedral, although known as a minster, is officially the athedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York? - York Minster represents almost every stage of the Gothic style of architecture from 1230 to 1475. The Gothic style is most notable for its distinctive pointed arches and its rich decoration. The present York Minster was built from 1220 and the old Norman cathedral was dismantled in stages as Gothic additions were made. The Gothic style was adopted at York to keep up with the new fashion and to allow considerable enlargement to the cathedral in keeping with its status as the centre of an Archbishopric.