Running such a big cathedral, catering to the various needs of worshippers, sightseers, individuals and school groups - up to 2 million people a year - plus maintaining the building's fabric and providing for the occasional Anglican Synod - requires deep pockets and a hefty budget.
There's a staff of 150 - including those working as carvers and stone masons in York Minster's own stoneyard, glaziers, 500 volunteers and even a police force of nine constables. The only other church to have its own police force is St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
All of this, as you might imagine, costs a pretty penny. In fact, it costs more than:
- £10,000 per day
- £415 per hour
- £7 per minute.
Amazingly, neither the UK government nor the Anglican Church contribute toward the maintenance of this beautiful and historically unique church. That's why visitors have to. Reluctantly, in 2003, the Minster began charging entrance fees for non-worshippers.
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