Tynwald Hill

Tynwald Hill at St John's is the traditional ancient meeting place , dating back at least to the late first millennium AD for the Manx parliamentary assembly

The hill itself is an artificial stepped mound,  approximately 25m in diameter at the base, and 3.6m high.  Its earliest phase dates to later prehistory, when the first indications of communal assemblies can be glimpsed.  Later the development of a royal centre focused in the nearby upper Neb valley allowed the site to increase in importance, and by the early 2^nd millennium AD Tynwald Hill was in use as a national meeting place.

The site continues to be active today and in 1979 it celebrated its millennium as a continuous parliament.  The Tynwald Court now meets in the Island’s modern capital, Douglas,  but once a year on July 5th an open air ceremony is still held at Tynwald Hill.  This day is a national holiday for the island, and the laws passed during the year are proclaimed in both Manx Gaelic and English.

The site of Tynwald Hill is thus one of the most important ancient monuments in the Island, representing not just a symbol of the rich heritage of the Manx people, but also a contemporary focus where the future life and culture of the community is forged.

Tynwald Day is the modern ceremony which is a continuation of the public assembly thought to have been in existence for over 1000 years.

Following the formal aspect you’ll enjoy a festival style atmosphere with stalls, entertainment and amusements.