About Durham City

Durham City is historic, the county town of Durham. Durham City is world famous for its Norman cathedral and 11th century castle, both designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.

Durham City sits at the heart of an extraordinary county where breathtaking countryside and dramatic coastline are dotted with cultural treasures and historic gems: the peace and tranquillity of the Durham Dales, the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Durham Heritage Coast.

It’s also home to some of the greatest innovations: Stephenson’s Locomotion first travelled on railway tracks from Shildon and Thomas Wright first described the Milky Way galaxy here.

But we don’t stand still. Durham City has been the home of Durham University, a world top 100 university, since 1832 and continues to generate world-class research that is turned into innovative products: Kromek plc, a Durham University spin-out, designs and develops a range of products in health, security and nuclear detection that give peace of mind to thousands around the world every day.

Right on the East Coast Main Line, 60 intercity trains from most major centres in the country call at Durham City daily, including 14 direct trains from London. The high speed service takes under 3 hours from London King's Cross.

An overview of Durham City's opportunities can be seen in the aerial image to the right.