Welcome to Coppergate, a street deeply connected to York’s Viking past. Its name comes from the Old Norse word “koppari,” meaning cup maker, combined with “gate,” the Viking word for street. During the time of Jórvík, this area was filled with workshops and traders, making it an important part of the bustling Viking city.

Coppergate became internationally famous in the 1970s when archaeologists uncovered remarkably well-preserved Viking remains beneath the street during excavations for a shopping development. The discoveries revealed houses, tools, clothing, food, and everyday objects that offered an extraordinary glimpse into life in Viking York over 1,000 years ago.

Today, Coppergate blends York’s ancient history with modern shops, restaurants, and attractions, while the layers of Viking Jórvík still survive hidden beneath the streets below.