The Vikings called it Jorvik when they overran and then settled in York, as our guide to York explains.  From 13^th to 21^st o February, the 25^th Annual Jorvk Viking Festival celebrates the arrival of the Norse invaders. 

 As the event, which is based at the Jorvik Viking Centre shows, York in 910 was a bloody place with nobles fighting each other for control of the city and the population cowering in fear.

 This event celebrates some of the most important developments and iconic artefacts uncovered in the last quarter-century of research into the Viking era. Academics from around the Viking world will gather in York on Saturday 13th February for an entertaining and illuminating look at the past, present and future of Viking studies.

  Viking history is all around you in York but the Jorvik Centre offers a comprehensive look at life amongst the Vikings 1000 years ago, complete with artefacts ranging from shoes and combs to knives and even a genuine Viking lavatory.

  With its streets and houses, it's very detailed as well as being atmospheric and

interactive - you can imagine what life must have been like - right down to the smells of a Viking  town!

  The Jorvik centre came about after the demolition of an old sweet factory started to reveal various Viking relics. After two years of work some 40,000 objects were revealed, many of which are now on display here.

  As well as York, Jorvik was also used to describe the entire Viking kingdom which encompassed Northern England.  From the end of the eighth century the Vikings began leaving their homes and farms in modern Scandinavia to pillage and steal religious artefacts from Britain. The name 'Viking' probably derives from an Old Norse word meaning 'pirate'.  

  But as the Jorvik centre shows, they could also be peaceable and produce some impressive objects of their own.  They attacked Britain and then settled here ruling northern England and the East Midlands until Norman Conquests in 1066. The Vikings' method of getting to York - and the other places they attacked or visited which include France, Russia and even Istanbul - was to sail up rivers from the sea.

For more information see www.visityork.org

For more information generally about York visit our guide to York

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