Situated on the banks of the River Wye, Hereford Cathedral is a great example of a medieval place of worship.

The architecture dates from Norman times to the present day, including the recently restored Shrine of Saint Thomas of Hereford, Lady Chapel and the new Library building completed in 1996.

Visitors can climb the stairs to the cathedral tower, which is open during July and August, for panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, or enjoy a guided tour of the cathedral itself.

Also on offer are regular concerts and recitals in the spirit of the Vicars' Choral, a body of clergymen who lived in the cloisters here and would sing the daily services.

Founded originally to house the shrine of the murdered Saint Ethelbert, king of East Anglia, the cathedral now contains two national treasures - the Chained Library and the Mappa Mundi.

The largest surviving medieval map of the world, the Mappa Mundi depicts how 13th Century scholars viewed the world in spiritual and geographical terms, with Jerusalem at the centre and historical drawings on each continent.

Drawn on a single sheet of calf skin, the map features drawings of around 420 towns, 15 Biblical events, 33 plants and animals and 32 images of people of the world.

Visitors will also enjoy the Chained Library, containing over 1,500 ancient books dating from as far back as the 8th Century.