| Isle of Man | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | UK |
|---|---|
| Capital | Douglas |
| Surface | 572 km² |
| Inhabitants | 84.497 (2011 census) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
The Isle of Man (in Mannese Ellan Vannin) is an island under the protection of British crown located in the sea ofIreland.
To know
Geographical notes
Snaefell with its 621 m, is the highest mountain on the Isle of Man. The waterways are of little importance; one of them is the Greeba River.
The interior and coastline are very similar to the west of Ireland, with heather-strewn stony areas and striking, albeit relatively low, cliffs.
Background
After a series of British rulers, the island was invaded by the Saxons and was later a Viking outpost. In 1079 it was colonized by the Norwegians and annexed to the kingdom of Norway by Godred Crovan. It then became a Scottish domain in 1266, as enshrined in the Treaty of Perth and then, in the 13th century, it fell into the hands of Edward I ofEngland. In 1765 it came under the control of the English monarchy.
The island's parliament, the Tynwald, established in 979 AD, although not the oldest in the world, is certainly the one that has been in operation for the longest time, having never stopped its activities, unlike the one Icelandic and that of Faroe Islands.
Spoken languages
There mannese language is very similar to the Scottish Gaelic and toIrish.
Snaefell
Stretch of coast
Rock and heather in the interior
Territories and tourist destinations
Isle of Man: full screen map.The Isle of Man is divided into six administrative districts called sheading which are: Ayre, Glenfaba, Garff, Michael, Rushen and Middle. The term sheading seems to be a word of Norman origin, and means 'naval base': each district had to build a certain number of warships; it could also have a Celtic origin, and its meaning would be 'sixth part'.
Urban centers
- Douglas - The capital.
- Castletown - Located in the southern part of the island and its ancient capital. The town's main landmark is Castle Rushen.
- Onchan - Parish located in Garff's Sheading but in fact a conurbation of Douglas.
- Peel - Located in the western part of the island and home to the Cathedral.
- Ramsey - The second inhabited center of the island located in the northern part of the island.
Other destinations
- Calf of Man - Islet established as a nature sanctuary.
- Port Erin - Tourist resort located in the southern end of the island.
- Port Saint Mary - Rural district located in the southwestern part of the island.
How to get
By plane
1 Isle of Man Airport (IATA: IOM). The airport is located 15 kilometers south of Douglas. There are flights from London, Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Belfast is Glasgow. During the summer, flights from smaller British airports are often available.The companies operating at this airport are:
- Aer Lingus Regional - from Dublin
- British Airways - from various airports in London
- easyJet - Belfast – International, Bristol, Liverpool, London – Gatwick. Seasonally from London-Luton
- Flybe - Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester. Seasonally from Geneva
- Loganair - from Edinburgh
From Liverpool and Heysham in UK in 2 hours and 30 minutes, 2 connections a day with Isle of Man Steam Packet Company[link not working].
From Dublin is Belfast in Ireland in 23 hours, 3 connections per week with Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
How to get around
On the train
The top of Mount Snaefell can be reached by rail Snaefell Mountain Railway, the route is approximately four miles (6.4 km), and starts from Laxey.
What see
- 1 Castle Rushen, Castletown. castle.
- 2 Peel Castle, Peel. castle
- 3 Laxey Wheel (Lady Isabella Wheel), Laxey. It is the largest water wheel in the world still in operation. It is equipped with a large spiral staircase that allows you to reach the roof of the structure.
- 4 Cregneash, Cregneash. Mannese village immersed in the most traditional rurality. Here you can observe traditional agricultural techniques and have an encounter with the sheep breed Loaghtan endemic to Man.
Cottage in Cregneash
Young Loaghtan sheep at Cregneash
Laxey Wheel. On the hidden façade you can also admire a huge mannese triskelion
Events and parties
- Day of the Tynwald.
July 5th. National holiday of the Isle of Man, all members of the Tynwald depart from Douglas, the capital, and go to Tynwald Hill, a hill in the west of the island, where they meet and all the new laws of the island are proclaimed in the presence of the Vice Governor, the representative of the monarch of the UK, who is also Lord of Man. - Tourist Trophy (TT). First week of June. World motorcycle race that takes place on the Snaefell Mountain Course road circuit.
July 5th. National holiday of the Isle of Man, all members of the Tynwald depart from What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Useful information
The island is home to Canonical Ltd, a private company promoting free software (linux) and founder of Ubuntu.
The success of the Harry Potter character is such that the Isle of Man has even minted coins with the effigy of the young wizard: written in different denominations since 2001, they have legal value.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Isle of Man
Commons contains images or other files on Isle of Man
