if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {

     var baseIcon = new GIcon();
          baseIcon.iconSize = new GSize(28,28);
          baseIcon.shadowSize = new GSize(40,28);
          baseIcon.iconAnchor = new GPoint(16,32);
          baseIcon.infoWindowAnchor = new GPoint(16,0);
          
      var attraction = new GIcon(baseIcon, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/info.png", null, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/sign_shadow.png");
      var station = new GIcon(baseIcon, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/railway.png", null, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/sign_shadow.png");
      var tram = new GIcon(baseIcon, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/metro.png", null, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/sign_shadow.png");
      var council = new GIcon(baseIcon, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/manchester.png", null, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/sign_shadow.png");
      var service = new GIcon(baseIcon, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/manchester.png", null, "http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/images/sign_shadow.png");
    
    
      function createMarker(point,html,icon) {
        var marker = new GMarker(point,icon);
        GEvent.addListener(marker, "click", function() {
          marker.openInfoWindowHtml(html);
        });
        return marker;
	}
      
// -------
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map"));

     map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());

     map.setCenter(new GLatLng(53.477952,-2.240653), 15, G_NORMAL_MAP);

      // town hall with location.php details
      var point = new GLatLng(53.479159,-2.244172);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:400px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/town_hall.jpg" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" alt="Manchester Town Hall" />	<p><strong>Manchester City Council</strong></p><p>Town Hall  Albert Square  MANCHESTER  M60 2LA (for satellite navigation systems use M2 5DB)</p><p>Telephone: 0161 234 5000</p></div>', council);
      map.addOverlay(marker);
      
      // Customer Service Centre with location.php details
      var point = new GLatLng(53.472671,-2.246575);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:400px;"><p><strong>Number One First Street</strong></p><p>Customer Service Centre<br />Monday to Friday between 8am-5pm</p><p>For satellite navigation systems, please use M1 5DE</p><p><a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/home_info.php?homepageID=425" >Getting to Number One First Street</a></p></div>', service);
      map.addOverlay(marker);
      
      // manchester library     
      var point = new GLatLng(53.477944,-2.244590);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/library.jpg" alt="library" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Manchester Central Library</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 234 1900</p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);    

      // bridgewater hall      
      var point = new GLatLng(53.4758,-2.246822);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/bridgewater.jpg" alt="bridgewater" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Bridgewater Hall</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 950 0000</p><p><a href="http://www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk/">More information</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);   
      
      // midland hotel   
      var point = new GLatLng(53.477179,-2.245052);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/midland.jpg" alt="midland" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Midland Hotel</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 236 3333</p><p><a href="http://www.qhotels.co.uk/hotels/the-midland-manchester-greater-manchester/">More information</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);    
      
      // GMEX - manchester central  
      var point = new GLatLng(53.476439,-2.245889);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/gmex.jpg" alt="gmex" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Manchester Central</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 834 2700</p><p><a href="http://www.g-mex.co.uk/">More information</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);      
      
      // Manchester Art Gallery
      var point = new GLatLng(53.47884,-2.24146);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/artgallery.jpg" alt="art gallery" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Manchester Art Gallery</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 235 8888</p><p><a href="http://www.manchestergalleries.org/">More information</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);       

      // manchester victoria station     
      var point = new GLatLng(53.487675,-2.243164);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/victoria.jpg" alt="victoria station" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Manchester Victoria</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0845 0000 125</p><p><a href="http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MCV.html">More information</a></p></div>', station);
      map.addOverlay(marker);        

      // manchester piccadilly station    
      var point = new GLatLng(53.476426,-2.22868);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><img src="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/images/piccadilly.jpg" alt="picadilly station" class="locationmap" style="height:100px;width:100px;float:left;" /> <p><strong>Manchester Piccadilly</strong></p><p>Telephone: 08450 0000 33</p><p><a href="http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MAN.html">More information</a></p></div>', station);
      map.addOverlay(marker); 
      
      // st peters tram stop    
      var point = new GLatLng(53.477888,-2.243603);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><p><strong>St Peters Square Tram Stop</strong></p><p>Frequency: Monday - Friday, every 6 minutes between 0715 and 1830.</p><p><a href="http://www.metrolink.co.uk/stationinfo/results/index.asp?station=St%20Peters%20Square">Station Information</a></p><p><a href="http://www.metrolink.co.uk/tramtimes/results/index.asp?station=St+Peters+Square">Tram Departure and Arrival Times</a></p></div>', tram);
      map.addOverlay(marker);        

      // manchester registry office
      var point = new GLatLng(53.479376,-2.246404);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><p><strong>Manchester Register Office</strong></p><p>Telephone: 0161 234 5555</p><p><a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=200067&amp;documentID=1186">All Contact Information</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);   
      
      // manchester childrens services
      var point = new GLatLng(53.478099,-2.249987);
      var marker = createMarker(point,'<div style="width:300px;"><p><strong>Manchester Children&#39;s Services</strong></p><p>Overseas House, Quay St, M3 3BB</p><p><a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=17&documentID=796">Getting to Overseas House</a></p></div>', attraction);
      map.addOverlay(marker);         
    }

    else {
      alert("Sorry, the Google Maps API is not compatible with this browser");
    }