Tynwald Hill

Tynwald Hill at St John's is a mound of four circular tiers, and on 5 July every year the island's parliament leaves its chamber in Douglas and assembles on it in the open air, where the year's new laws are proclaimed in English and Manx and any resident may present a petition for redress. The practice is traced back to Norse assembly tradition and is claimed as one of the longest continuously running parliaments anywhere.

What you actually see

• The four tiers - the stepped mound the assembly is arranged on.
• The July ceremony - laws proclaimed in English and Manx in the open air.
• The petitions - the right of any resident to present a grievance on the day.
• The processional way - the path linking the mound to the chapel beside it.

When to go

5 July is the ceremony, moved to the following Monday when it falls at a weekend. The site is open and free at any other time. Summer is best for the surroundings.

Honest expectations

On any day other than 5 July the site is a grassy mound with a plaque and takes ten minutes. The ceremony draws crowds and roads around St John's close. There is no visitor centre on site.

Nearby

Glen Helen is north, and Peel is west.