DURHAM will host a major cultural celebration to mark 25 years as a World Heritage Site from today.

The week of events will include music, theatre, exhibitions and tours, running until next Friday.

Canon Rosalind Brown, chairwoman of the Durham World Heritage Site (WHS) co-ordinating committee, said that even after hundreds of years, Durham Cathedral and Castle still retained a place in the hearts of people in the North-East, and beyond.

The event begins today with a public lecture by architectural historian Tim Tatton-Brown, a Durham-themed evensong service at Durham Cathedral and a children’s lantern procession from the recently-opened WHS Visitor Centre, in Owengate, to the cathedral, at 7pm.

Also at 7pm, Durham Student Theatre will present a specially-written The (Almost)Complete History of Durham, in the cathedral’s Galilee Chapel. Entry is free.

An illustrated children’s book titled Discover Durham will also be launched.

Tomorrow, there will be WHS tours, a Norman life reenactment, concerts and, beginning at 10.30pm in Durham Castle, a ghost play called The Black Staircase.

The entertainment continues on Sunday, with tours, another re-enactment, talks and another performance of The Black Staircase.

Durham Student Theatre will reprise their history show next Thursday and Friday, at 7pm each day.

One of the highlights will be the Polish Radio Choir performing a Durham Cathedral tribute concert to the late Polish composer Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki, tomorrow, at 7.30pm.

Durham was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986 – one of the first five sites in the UK awarded the status.

Canon Brown said: “A few weeks ago, the cathedral was the runaway winner in the poll to find Britain’s favourite building and Durham University is a World Top 100 University.

“We do not stand still and the fact that parts of the WHS are currently a building site is evidence of some of the ambitious projects under way to restore our buildings and provide 21st Century facilities in medieval spaces.”

Various prices apply for some events. To see the full programme, go to durhamwhs.com