Micklegate Bar is the most historically significant of York's four surviving medieval gateways. It stood on the main road from London and the south, which made it the ceremonial entrance for kings and queens arriving in York — a tradition that continued well into the Tudor period. The gateway itself dates mainly from the 12th and 14th centuries, though a Roman road ran through this point long before the medieval walls were built. The barbican that once extended outward has been demolished, but the gatehouse survives in good condition.
The chamber above the arch now houses a small museum, Henry VII Experience at Micklegate Bar, which focuses on the Wars of the Roses and the events of 1460–61. Admission is charged. The bar stands in a busy part of the city, close to several good pubs, and the view from the wall-walk to either side takes in the medieval city fabric well. Most visitors entering York from the railway station will walk past Micklegate Bar without necessarily recognising its significance.