Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Su filindeu doesn’t cook in strands, it cooks in sheets.
How the ‘Su Filindeu’ (or ‘Threads of God’) Pasta Recipe Was Almost Lost to Time
Eroded rocks of the badlands in the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park.
Arizona’s Petrified Forest Is Changing What We Know About the Dawn of the Dinosaurs
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom the Isle of Man Laxey The Laxey Wheel

The Laxey Wheel

World's largest working waterwheel has been around for over 150 years.

Laxey, Isle of Man

Added By
Facebook532307398
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Tourists at the great wheel.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laxey_Wheel
Lady Isabella or Laxey Wheel.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laxey_Wheel
View from the top   TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Great Laxey Wheel 1   TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Great Laxey Wheel 2   TownTactics / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located on the Isle of Man, the Laxey Wheel is the world's largest working waterwheel and also one of its oldest that is still operational. Designed by a local engineer, Robert Casemont, in 1854, the wheel has a diameter of 72 feet and a circumference of 227 feet.

Spinning at a leisurely 3 rpm, the wheel was installed to pump water to nearby mines. Due to its size and prominence in the landscape of Glen Mooar Valley, the Laxey Wheel began drawing curious visitors almost immediately and does so to this day.

The mines that the wheel supplied water to closed in 1929, but the government purchased the site in 1965 and restored the wheel to working condition. Lady Isabella, as the wheel is affectionately known, was named after the wife of Lieutenant Governor Hope and is housed in a distinctive red and white structure emblazoned with the emblem of the Isle of Man known as the Triskelion (an image of three legs forming a wheel). Curiously, the national emblem that was placed on the side of the building was installed incorrectly and is actually a mirror image of the island's true coat of arms.

Related Tags

Retro Tech

Community Contributors

Added By

Facebook532307398

Edited By

timmcnulty, aribrown, ronin, Collector of Experiences...

  • timmcnulty
  • aribrown
  • ronin
  • Collector of Experiences
  • TownTactics

Published

September 6, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Wikipedia: Laxey Wheel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laxey_Wheel
The Laxey Wheel
Lady Isabella
Mines Road
Laxey, Isle of Man
United Kingdom
54.238626, -4.407384
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Bellite Factory Ruins

Cornaa, Isle of Man

miles away

Groudle Glen Water Wheel

Douglas, Isle of Man

miles away

Manx Giant's Pillar

St John's, Isle of Man

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isle of Man

Isle of Man

United Kingdom

Places 15
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Bellite Factory Ruins

Cornaa, Isle of Man

miles away

Groudle Glen Water Wheel

Douglas, Isle of Man

miles away

Manx Giant's Pillar

St John's, Isle of Man

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isle of Man

Isle of Man

United Kingdom

Places 15
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Play vintage pinball machines and video arcade games at the Appalachian Pinball Museum.

    Hendersonville, North Carolina

    Appalachian Pinball Museum

    This hands-on museum houses roughly 80 vintage pinball machines and arcade games.

    Sponsored by Henderson County Tourism Development Authority
  • Vienna, Austria

    Computer und Gaming Museum Wien

    Housed in a former air raid shelter, this museum is dedicated to the history of computing and video games.

  • Krakow, Poland

    Muzeum Gier Wideo (Krakow Arcade Museum)

    Where visitors can play more than 150 retro arcade games.

  • A recent MAL experiment.

    Boulder, Colorado

    Media Archaeology Lab

    A research lab and hands-on museum where visitors can experiment with retro technology.

  • Kiosks on display.

    Stoke Heath, England

    National Telephone Kiosk Collection

    An ode to the classic piece of British street furniture.

  • The nursery showcases metal toys and shares information about the Baby Boom years inside the 1950s All-Electric House.

    Overland Park, Kansas

    1950s All-Electric House

    Step back in time at this 1950s display home, built to showcase once cutting-edge electric amenities.

  • Add-A-Ball Arcade’s basement location.

    Seattle, Washington

    Add-a-Ball Bar and Arcade

    A (slightly) grownup take on the classic retro arcade.

  • Robots mid-repair.

    Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

    Fraley's Robot Repair

    A retrofuturistic art installation in the Pittsburgh Airport.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.