An American man travelling the North East has expressed his amazement at a "magical" discovery he made at Durham Cathedral. Kalani Smith, known on social media for his takes on British cuisine, was "blown away" by the building that began development in 1093.
Harry Potter connection and architecture
In a TikTok video, Kalani told his 3.4 million followers that the courtyard he and his friend Tanner stood in was a filming location for the Harry Potter films. He then pointed out what makes the building "so special".
Heading inside, he explained: "So construction began in 1093 and the purpose was to house the remains of Saint Cuthbert, who back in medieval times in Europe was very important. People would actually make a pilgrimage to come just to visit those remains, which is pretty crazy."
He added: "It's also a super-important place because it served as kind of a bridge between Romanesque and gothic architecture and it's one of the first of it's kind to use these massive rib stone vaultings, which you can see above us."
Saint Cuthbert and Venerable Bede
After the "magical" discovery, Kalani's friend gushed: "My jaw is dropping right now. This is stunning. The scale of it is insane." Kalani then showcased the grave of Saint Cuthbert, which features a "beautiful ornate photo with a lot of gold" above it.
"People would travel here for weeks on foot to pray because they believed he could perform miracles... It's crazy to think that we're here today appreciating it, but in medieval England, this would have been one of the most important sites for people to visit," he added. "It's kind of an honour to be here."
The pair moved to the Galilee Chapel, where they saw the tomb of the Venerable Bede, a monk and scholar who, according to Kalani, is the "reason we know so much about the Anglo Saxons". Kalani noted that in 731 AD, Bede wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, a key document.
Medieval wall paintings
Kalani saved the "best part" for last, showing wall paintings from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, including Peter being crucified upside down. "They have faded with time, but the fact you can still see the painting is absolutely amazing," he said.
Viewers responded positively, with one joking that the tourism board should pay Kalani for his promotion. Another noted that Durham Cathedral was used in Avengers: Endgame, and a third said they remain in awe of the cathedral despite living nearby all their life.
