Description of the attraction
Peel Castle is located in Peel on the Isle of Man. The castle is located on the small island of St. Patrick, which is connected to the city by a dam.
The fortress was built in the XI century by the Vikings on the orders of King Magnus the Barefoot. By this time, there was already a stone monastery on the island, built by the Celts, but the first Viking fortifications were made of wood. The large round tower was once part of this monastery, but over time it turned into a fortress. By the beginning of the 14th century, the main buildings of the castle and the surrounding wall were made of local sandstone.
After the departure of the Vikings, the castle passed to the church, tk. here was the cathedral. It is believed that Christianity on the Isle of Man began from this place, because Saint Patrick preached on this island, and the island was named after him.
The castle was strengthened and completed until the middle of the 19th century, then it began to gradually decline. Now most of the buildings in the castle have been destroyed to one degree or another, but the fortress wall has survived intact. In the 80s of the XX century, extensive archaeological excavations were carried out on the territory of the castle, in the process of which, in particular, the so-called tomb of the "pagan lady" dating back to the X century was found. A magnificent Viking necklace and a treasure of silver coins were found in the burial. Also, during the excavation process, the location of the original wooden castle of Magnus was identified.
Legend has it that the Black Dog lives in the castle - a ghost, meeting with which promises misfortune.
