The story behind mystery miniature fairy houses on Isle of Man

Written by Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN

If you happen to visit the ancient Isle of Man, you might bump into miniature buildings that evoke the island's rich fairy folklore.

With their intricate, quaint design and astonishing details, the fairy houses and castles have appeared on hillsides and woods of the mythical island.

Courtesy of Mikael Buck

But more are still to be found, according to the project's creators, the Swedish art collective Anonymouse MMX.

"We built 4... that people know of," Anonymouse's Yasha Mousekewitz told CNN, adding that the project " aims to "bring a tiny bit of magic for those walking by... drawing inspiration from Astrid Lindgren, Beatrix Potter and Disney."

Courtesy of Mikael Buck

Mousekewitz added that Isle of Man's mythology and folklore was an exciting source of inspiration for the collective.

"The Isle of Man has a long history with fairies, and their appearance and demeanor is not unlike those in Swedish folklore so we quickly found a kinship with that," Mousekewitz said. "We've visited the isle on multiple occasions and tried to research it as best as we could. However, we also tried to steer clear of the most cliched designs."

Folklore stories are safeguarded by the Manx people as part of the island's unique character, according to the government's tourist website.

Anonymouse MMX

It's part of the local tradition -- and a not-to-be missed tourist stop -- to say "Hello" to the fairies when crossing Fairy Bridge to bring good luck.

The artworks are about 40 cm (15 inches) high and the castle is made of stone, concrete, wood, antique glass, copper, and paper clips, Mousekewitz said.

Courtesy of Mikael Buck

Most of the other fairy houses are made of wood.

"We did most of the work back in Sweden but once transported over we did some final adjustments to make them blend into the scenery. We want it to look like they've always been there."

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