Attractions in City Centre (Birmingham)

St Philip's Cathedral

St Philip's is a rare example of fine English baroque. The Cathedral is elegantly decorated with four stained glass windows by Birmingham-born Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. Its dome is based on the central dome of the Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. The square in which it stands is currently being renovated, so access is difficult with the cathedral grounds cordoned off. However, try to not to let the building work outside disturb your quiet enjoyment of the interior of this fine building.

St Martin's-in-the-Bull Ring

St. Martin lived from 316-397 AD; he was a soldier who healed the sick and was outspoken on social concerns of his day. The earliest mention of St Martin's Church was in a document from 1263, and although it has been rebuilt several times since it always seems to be in need of general repairs. That's not to say it's not an impressive building - it has some fine Gothic touches and many interesting features. The church is located near Birmingham's popular Indoor Market and St Martin's Market.

Central Methodist Church

Birmingham has a long tradition of non-conformist religion, and this fine building stands as a monument to that tradition. It beautifully complements the Victoria Law Courts (almost opposite), as it too is in terracotta; its tall spire is a major landmark. Friezes in the doorway depict scenes of preaching and of firefighting. There are regular Sunday services and the Chinese Christian Church also holds its services here.

The Metropolitan Cathedral & Basilica of St. Chad

St. Chad's is one of two cathedrals in Birmingham. Situated opposite the Thistle Birmingham City, and with one of the finest decorated church ceilings in the Midlands, St Chad's was designed by A.W.N Pugin who was at the forefront of Gothic revival architecture. It was also noted for being the first Roman Catholic cathedral to be built in England since the Reformation. The cathedral has a well-respected choir, who sing on Sundays. Do check out the website or call for timings.

Chamberlain Square

The square is named after one of Birmingham's famous mayors, Joseph Chamberlain. The Central Library and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery are located here, as is the focal point, the Chamberlain Memorial Fountain. There is also a very lifelike statue of Thomas Attwood, a famous Birmingham banker and MP. He lies reading on the steps leading up to the library and has often been known to seriously confuse the unwitting passer-by. The Square is a busy thoroughfare and a popular place to see for both locals and visitors alike.

Centenary Square

Centenary Square is the focal point of Birmingham's New Year's Eve celebrations, which involve a huge firework display every year. It's found near the International Convention Centre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Hall of Memory. The square is a popular meeting place, comprising a wide open plaza with cultivated gardens. The floor of the square is laid out to resemble a Persian carpet and leads to a controversial sculpture called "Forward" by Raymond Mason. It is certainly striking, and children love to play among its figures and to use it as an impromptu climbing frame. Since the square was opened in 1991 it has been popular with both tourists and locals, providing a perfect place to relax just minutes from the bustling city centre.

Birmingham Convention and Visitor Bureau

There are numerous free brochures as well as more in-depth guides for sale here. You can also buy tickets for theatre productions and other events. Don't worry if your English isn't great as the staff are multilingual. Birmingham Visitor Information Centre is situated in the heart of the city centre, about five minutes' walk from New Street station.

Hall of Memory

An imposing building of white Portland stone, the Hall of Memory is a fitting tribute to the fallen in all major conflicts of the 20th century. It is located in a prominent position near the International Convention Centre. The focus of Remembrance Day activities in the city, it has sculptures representing the armed services on each of its sides and inside are books with the names of those who lost their lives, as well as impressive stained glass windows. An inscription inside the hall gives the sobering statistics - of 150,000 local people who went off to war, 12,320 fell and 35,000 were disabled. The visitor is reminded to note that their sacrifice was not in vain.

Old Square

Until recently a rather shabby subway occupied this site, but now is a pleasant square with benches, trees and hedging. Situated towards the top of Corporation Street, its features include a relief sculpture depicting people and stories from the area's history (a 13th century priory once stood here, and Dr. Johnson was a regular visitor). You won't miss the distinctive sculpture of Birmingham-born comedian Tony Hancock. Not a conventional sculpture, this is a flat outline showing Hancock with his trademark hat and coat slouched over a cup of tea. With typical Birmingham wit, his statue in Old Square is close to the National Blood Transfusion Service - "The Blood Donor" was a classic episode from his hit sixties TV series.

Hebe's Statue

In the Thomas Gardens, which lie at the centre of Holloway Circus to the south of the city centre, is a statue to Hebe: for those who don't know their mythology, she was the daughter of the Greek deities Zeus and Hera. She was the goddess of the blossoming maturity of youth, and her life-sized reclining figure gazes into a pool with a small fountain below her. She has been gazing into her pool since 1957, which was when she was placed here to commemorate the completion of the city's inner ring road, and remains an attractive diversion.

Horsefair Mural

Birmingham has a number of colorful murals decorating the city's streets. This one lies between the Holloway and Horse fair subways within a five minute walk from New Street station. Executed in mosaic in 1966, it depicts the horse fair that took place on the spot until 1911. It was the last remaining fair of the charter granted in 1215. The mural measures approximately 30 meters long by about 3 meters high.

Birmingham Pub Bombings Memorial

This is a small, simple, yet fitting memorial to the 21 people who lost their lives in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings. Two city centre pubs were bombed by the IRA in November of that year, the last time that terrorist violence was experienced in the city. The memorial, in the grounds of St Philip's Cathedral in the city centre, is a tasteful plaque on a plinth and lists the names of those who died.