Gaiety Theatre
Opened in 1893, this beautiful building served as the Isle of
Man's main theatre until its closure in the 1960s. Having been a
cinema, it has now been lovingly restored to its original state and
is a delight to explore.
Manx Parliament
As the world's oldest continuous parliament, the Tynwald boasts
a fascinating history. Members of the public are welcome to view
the proceedings from the public gallery of this grand building.
Laxey Wheel
Designed by Robert Casement, the iconic Laxey Wheel was built in
1854 to pump water from the Laxey mineshafts and prevent flooding.
A key feature of the wheel was that it was made to run on water
power, as the Isle of Man has virtually no natural coal supply -
which made it an early piece of environmentally-friendly machinery.
The wheel was given the name 'Lady Isabella' in honour of the
then-Governor's wife, Lady Isabella Hope, and it is often still
called this by locals today. Lady Isabella is a staggering 72'6''
(22 metres) in diameter, and a huge circumference of 210'6'' (64
m). It can draw an impressive 1,140 litres of water every minute,
from a depth of 1,804' (550 m). The Laxey Wheel was retired from
regular use with the closure of the town's mines in 1929, but the
government saved it for the nation, as tourists had already flocked
to it when the mines were still open. Still one of the island's
most popular tourist attractions today, the wheel has become a
much-loved emblem of the Isle of Man - and even features on the
reverse of the £20 note.
Peel
Idyllic Peel has a population of less than 5,000, yet is
technically the Isle of Man's only 'city', as it boasts the
island's cathedral. Norsemen ruled Peel for roughly four hundred
years before ceding to the Scottish Monarchy in 1266. As an extra
measure of defence, the castle on St Patrick's Isle overlooking the
then-town was significantly enhanced. The castle then became known
to English rulers as Peel Castle, and the settlement - until then
known as Holmtown - ended up also being called Peel as a result.
With the coming of the railway, Peel developed as a tourist resort,
and today the city has an attractive promenade overlooking its
sandy beach, along with a number of other highlights.
Peel Castle
Perched on a tiny island connected to the town by a causeway,
the imposing Peel Castle has had a turbulent history. Now a Manx
National Heritage site, audio tours are available around the ruined
grounds, detailing its everyday use and legend of how St Patrick
introduced Christianity here.
House of Manannan
This magnificent attraction was completed in 1997, and features
a range of vivid displays on the island's Celtic and Viking past,
including life-sized reconstructions of their homes.