   #copyright

Birmingham

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   The city from above Centenary Square.
   Enlarge
   The city from above Centenary Square.

   CAPTION: City of Birmingham

   Image:EnglandBirmingham.png
   Shown within the West Midlands
   Geography
        Status       Metropolitan borough, City (1889)
        Region       West Midlands
   Ceremonial county West Midlands
    Historic county  Warwickshire
                     (some suburbs from Staffordshire and Worcestershire)
         Area
   - Total           Ranked 169th
                     267.77 km²
       Admin HQ      Birmingham
      ISO 3166-2     GB-BIR
       ONS code      00CN
   OS grid reference SP066868
      Coordinates    52°29N 1°54W
        NUTS 3       UKG31
   Demographics
      Population:
   Total (2005 est.)
   Density           Ranked 1st
                     1,001,200
                     3,739 / km²
       Ethnicity
   ( 2001 census)    70.4% Whites
                     2.9% Mixed
                     19.5% S.Asian
                     6.1% Black
                     0.5% Chinese
                     0.6% Other
   Politics
                    The Arms of Birmingham City Council
   Birmingham City Council
   http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/
      Leadership     Leader & Cabinet
        Control      Conservative / Liberal Democrats

   Birmingham (pron. IPA: [ˈbɜ:mɪŋˌəm]/Burr-ming-um) is a city and
   metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. Birmingham is the
   largest of England's core cities, and is generally considered to be the
   UK's second city. The city's reputation was forged as a powerhouse of
   the Industrial Revolution in Britain, a fact which led to Birmingham
   being known as "the workshop of the world" or the "city of a thousand
   trades".

   The City of Birmingham has a population of 1,001,200 (2005 estimate) .
   It forms part of the larger West Midlands conurbation, which has a
   population of 2,284,093 (2001 census) and includes several neighbouring
   towns and cities, such as Solihull, Wolverhampton and the towns of the
   Black Country.

   The people of Birmingham are known as 'Brummies', a term derived from
   the city's nickname of Brum. This comes in turn from the city's dialect
   name, Brummagem, which is derived from an earlier name of the city,
   'Bromwicham'. There is a distinctive Brummie dialect and accent.

History

   Birmingham has a recorded history going back 1,000 years. In this time,
   it has grown from a tiny Anglo-Saxon farming village into a major
   industrial and commercial city.

   The Birmingham area was occupied in Roman times, with several military
   roads and a large fort. Birmingham started life as a small Anglo-Saxon
   hamlet in the Early Middle Ages. It was first recorded in written
   documents by the Domesday Book of 1086 as a small village, worth only
   20 shillings.

   In the 12th century, Birmingham was granted a charter to hold a market,
   which in time became known as the Bull Ring. As a convenient location
   for trade, Birmingham soon developed into a small but thriving market
   town.

   By the 16th century, Birmingham's access to supplies of iron ore and
   coal meant that metalworking industries became established. In the 17th
   century Birmingham became an important manufacturing town with a
   reputation for producing small arms. Birmingham manufacturers supplied
   Oliver Cromwell's forces with much of their weaponry during the English
   Civil War. Arms manufacture in Birmingham became a staple trade and was
   concentrated in the area known as the Gun Quarter.

   During the Industrial Revolution (from the mid 18th century onwards),
   Birmingham grew rapidly into a major industrial centre. Unlike many
   other English industrial cities such as Manchester, industry in
   Birmingham was based upon small workshops rather than large factories
   or mills.

                              CAPTION: Historical population of Birmingham

                                                    Year Population figure
                                                    1538             1,300
                                                    1650             5,472
                                                    1700            15,032
                                                    1731            23,286
                                                    1778            42,250
                                                    1785            52,250
                                                    1801            73,670
                                                    1811            85,753
                                                    1821           106,722
                                                    1831           146,986
                                                    1841           182,922
                                                    1851           232,638
                                                    1861           296,076
                                                    1871           343,787
                                                    1881           400,774
                                                    1891           478,113
                                                    1901           522,204
                                                    1911           840,202
                                               1912-1967 Records destroyed
                                                    1968           900,000

   The Birmingham Canal Navigations between the International Convention
   Centre (left) and Brindleyplace (right) in central Birmingham.
   Enlarge
   The Birmingham Canal Navigations between the International Convention
   Centre (left) and Brindleyplace (right) in central Birmingham.

   From the 1760s onwards, a large network of canals were built across
   Birmingham and the Black Country, to transport raw materials and
   finished goods. By the 1820s an extensive canal system had been
   constructed; Birmingham is often described as having more miles of
   canals than Venice.

   Railways arrived in Birmingham in 1837, with the opening of the Grand
   Junction Railway and later the London and Birmingham Railway the
   railways soon linked Birmingham to every corner of Britain. New Street
   Station was opened as a joint station in 1854. And this was soon
   followed by the Great Western Railway's Snow Hill station.

   During the Victorian era, the population of Birmingham grew rapidly to
   well over half a million and Birmingham became the second largest
   population centre in England and the third in Britain after Glasgow and
   then London. Birmingham's importance led to it being granted city
   status in 1889 by Queen Victoria.

   The city built its own university in 1900, The University of
   Birmingham, which became the first of Britain's Redbrick universities.

   Birmingham was originally part of Warwickshire, however the city
   expanded in the late 19th and early 20th century, absorbing parts of
   Worcestershire to the south and Staffordshire to the west. The city
   absorbed Sutton Coldfield in 1974, and at the same time became part of
   the new West Midlands county.

   Birmingham suffered heavy bomb damage during World War II during the
   Birmingham Blitz, and partly as a result of this the city centre was
   extensively re-developed during the 1950s and 1960s, with many concrete
   office buildings, ring-roads, and now much-derided pedestrian subways.
   As a result, Birmingham gained a reputation for ugliness and was
   frequently described as a "concrete jungle".

   In recent years however, Birmingham has been transformed, the city
   centre has been extensively renovated and restored with the
   construction of new squares, the restoration of old streets, buildings
   and canals, the removal of the pedestrian subways, and the demolition
   and subsequent redevelopment of the Bull Ring shopping centre, which
   now includes the architecturally unique Selfridges building.

   In the decades following World War II, the face of Birmingham changed
   dramatically, with large scale immigration from the Commonwealth of
   Nations and beyond.

   Birmingham's transition from an industrial centre to a tourism and
   services economy is best illustrated by the hosting of the first
   official summit of the G8 at the International Convention Centre ( May
   15 to May 17, 1998).

Geography

   Birmingham is situated just to the west of the geographical centre of
   England on the Birmingham Plateau - an area of relatively high ground,
   ranging around 150-200 metres above sea level and crossed by Britain's
   main north-south watershed between the basins of the Rivers Severn and
   Trent.

   To the south and west of the city lie the Lickey Hills, Clent Hills and
   Walton Hill, which reach 315 metres (1,033 ft) and have good views over
   the city.

   Geologically Birmingham is dominated by the Birmingham Fault which runs
   diagonally through the city from the Lickey Hills in the south west,
   passing through Edgbaston, the Bull Ring and Erdington, to Sutton
   Coldfield in the north east. To the south and east of the fault the
   ground is largely softer Keuper Marl, interspersed with beds of Bunter
   pebbles and crossed by the valleys of the Rivers Tame, Rea and Cole and
   their tributaries. To the north and west of the fault, varying from
   45-180 metres (150-600 ft) higher than the surrounding area and
   underlying much of the city centre, lies a long ridge of harder Keuper
   Sandstone.

   Much of the area now occupied by the city was originally a northern
   reach of the ancient Forest of Arden, whose former presence can still
   be felt in the city's dense oak tree-cover and in the large number of
   districts (eg Moseley, Saltley, Hockley) with names ending in "-ley",
   an Anglo-Saxon word meaning "woodland clearing".

Climate

   These are the average and record temperatures as provided by BBC
   Weather.

                              CAPTION: Celsius

                                   Average  Record
                           Month   Min Max  Min Max
                          January   2   5   -12 13
                         February   2   6   -9  16
                           March    3   9   -7  21
                           April    5   12  -2  24
                            May     7   16  -1  29
                           June    10   19   3  31
                           July    12   20   6  32
                          August   12   20   6  33
                         September 10   17   3  27
                          October   7   13  -2  25
                         November   5   9   -4  19
                         December   3   6   -6  14

   The weather in Birmingham is quite temperate with average maximum
   temperatures in summer (July) being around 20C (68F); and in winter
   (January) is around 4.5C (40F). The weather is hardly extreme but there
   have been a few tornadoes in the area- the most recent being in July
   2005 in the South of the city tearing homes and businesses in the
   area..

   Occasional summer heatwaves, such as the one experienced in July 2006
   have become more common in recent years, and winters have become milder
   since the 1990's with snow becoming much less frequent.

Economy

   New Street in central Birmingham
   Enlarge
   New Street in central Birmingham

   Although Birmingham grew to prominence as a manufacturing and
   engineering centre, its economy today is dominated by the service
   sector, which in 2003 accounted for 78% of the city's economic output
   and 97% of its economic growth.

   Birmingham is a major financial and administrative centre. The city's
   central business district has the largest concentration of
   administrative and private sector office-based employment in England
   outside Central London. Two of Britain's " big four" banks were founded
   in Birmingham - Lloyds Bank (now Lloyds TSB) in 1765 and the Midland
   Bank (now HSBC Bank plc) in 1836 - and today the city employs 108,000
   in banking, finance and insurance - exceeded in the UK only by
   Westminster and the City of London. Birmingham has particular strengths
   in accountancy and commercial law, with the Birmingham Law Society
   having over 300 member firms.

   Tourism is also an increasingly important part of the local economy.
   With major facilities such as the International Convention Centre and
   National Exhibition Centre the Birmingham area accounts for 42% of the
   UK conference and exhibition trade. The city's sporting and cultural
   venues attract large numbers of visitors, as does the nightlife
   district around Broad Street. In total the West Midlands County
   attracts 1.1 million international visitors and 4.2 million domestic
   overnight visitors per year, making it the UK's third most-visited
   county after Greater London and Devon.

   With an annual turnover of £2.2bn, Birmingham City Centre is the UK's
   second largest retail centre, with the country's busiest shopping
   centre - the Bull Ring with 36m visitors per year, and its third
   largest department store - House of Fraser (formerly Rackhams) on
   Corporation Street. Other major shopping areas include New Street, High
   Street, the Pavilions and Pallasades shopping centres and the upmarket
   Mailbox.

   Birmingham's industrial heritage pre-dates the Industrial Revolution,
   and up until the 20th century the city maintained a tradition of
   individual craftsmen, sometimes working independently in their own back
   yards or on piecework rates in rented workshops, alongside larger
   factories. During the Industrial Revolution many factories, foundries
   and businesses prospered in the city, including the areas known as the
   Gun Quarter and Jewellery Quarter. Pen manufacture in Birmingham helped
   revolutionise writing across the world with many companies based in and
   around the Jewellery Quarter. The Jewellery Quarter is still the
   largest concentration of dedicated jewellers in Europe, and one third
   of the jewellery manufactured in the UK is made within one mile of
   Birmingham city centre. Until 2003, coins for circulation were
   manufactured in the Jewellery Quarter at the Birmingham Mint, the
   oldest independent mint in the world, which continues to produce
   commemorative coins and medals.

   James Watt improved the steam engine while working in the city, and
   historically the largest manufacturers in the city have been associated
   with the steam, electric and petrol transport and power industries. The
   city's workers designed and constructed railway carriages, steam
   engines, motorcycles, bicycles, automobiles and even – unusually for
   somewhere so far from the sea – ships, which were made as
   pre-fabricated sections, then assembled at the coast. Birmingham was
   home to two major car factories: MG Rover in Longbridge and Jaguar in
   Castle Bromwich. The MG Rover car works went into administration in
   2005, resulting in the plant being mothballed and the loss of 6,000
   jobs at the site, plus more in the supply chain. Things are looking
   more positive in 2006 with the Nanjing Automobile Group (MG Rover's
   main purchasers) hoping to restart production of MG cars at Longbridge
   by 2007. Another small sports car manufacturer has set up business in
   the Longbridge premises.

   The city's products include motor vehicles, vehicle components and
   accessories, weapons, electrical equipment, plastics, machine tools,
   chemicals, food, jewellery and glass. Scientific research (including
   research into nanotechnology at the University of Birmingham) is
   expanding in the city. Other famous brands from the city include Ariel
   Motorcycles, Bakelite, Bird's Custard, Brylcreem, BSA, Cadbury's
   chocolate, Chad Valley toys, Halfords, HP Sauce (but soon to be closed
   down by its American owners Heinz), Norton Motorcycles, Triumph
   Motorcycles, Typhoo Tea, Velocette Motorcycles and Valor, the list is
   extensive.

   Although Birmingham has seen strong economic growth overall in recent
   years, with per capita GDP rising from 2% above the UK average in 1995
   to 7% above in 2003, the benefits have not been felt evenly throughout
   the city. Many of the higher skilled jobs generated have gone to
   commuters from the surrounding area, and the two parliamentary
   consituencies with the highest unemployment rates in the UK - Ladywood
   and Sparkbrook and Small Heath - are both in inner-city Birmingham.
   Growth has also placed significant strain on the city's transport
   infrastructure, with many major roads and the central New Street
   railway station operating considerably over capacity during peak
   periods.

Architecture

   City of Birmingham Council House, with Dhruva Mistry's sculpture, 'The
   River', in the foreground (commonly known as 'the floozie in the
   jacuzzi').
   Enlarge
   City of Birmingham Council House, with Dhruva Mistry's sculpture, 'The
   River', in the foreground (commonly known as 'the floozie in the
   jacuzzi').

   Although Birmingham has existed as a settlement for over a thousand
   years, today's city is overwhelmingly a product of the 18th, 19th, and
   20th centuries, as the real growth of the city began with the
   Industrial Revolution. Consequently, relatively few buildings survive
   from its earlier history.

   Traces of medieval Birmingham can be seen in the oldest churches,
   notably the original parish church, St Martin in the Bull Ring, where a
   church has stood since at least the 12th century. The current church
   (begun around 1290) was extensively re-built in the 1870s, retaining
   some original walls and foundations. A few other buildings from the
   medieval and Tudor periods survive, among them The Lad In The Lane
   public house in Erdington,also The Old Crown public house in Digbeth,
   the 15th century Saracen's Head public house and Old Grammar School in
   Kings Norton and Blakesley Hall in Yardley.

   The city grew rapidly from Georgian times and a number of buildings
   survive from this period. Among them are St Philip's Cathedral,
   originally built as a parish church, St Paul's Church in the largely
   Georgian St Paul's Square, Soho House in Handsworth, the home of
   Matthew Boulton, Perrott's Folly in Ladywood (which is said to have
   later inspired J. R. R. Tolkien), and the Town Hall.

   The Victorian era saw extensive building across the city. Major public
   buildings such as the Law Courts, the Council House (see picture) and
   the Museum & Art Gallery were constructed, many under the auspices of
   Joseph Chamberlain's reforming mayoralty. Saint Chad's Cathedral, built
   in 1839 by Augustus Pugin, was the first Roman Catholic Cathedral to be
   built in the UK since the Reformation. The characteristic materials of
   Victorian Birmingham are red brick and terracotta, and many fine
   Victorian buildings have been retained on New Street and Corporation
   Street in the city centre. Across the city, the need to house the
   industrial workers gave rise to miles of redbrick streets and terraces,
   many of back-to-back houses, some of which were later to become
   inner-city slums.
   The new Selfridges building
   Enlarge
   The new Selfridges building

   Continued population growth in the interwar period, saw vast estates of
   semi-detached houses being built on greenfield land in outlying parts
   of the city such as Kingstanding and Weoley Castle, but the coming of
   World War II and the Blitz claimed many lives and many beautiful
   buildings too. However, the destruction that took place in post-war
   Birmingham was also extensive: dozens of fine Victorian buildings like
   the intricate glass-roofed Birmingham New Street Station, and the old
   Central Library, were razed in the 1950s and 1960s and replaced with
   modernist concrete buildings. In inner-city areas too, much Victorian
   housing was redeveloped and existing communities were relocated to
   tower block estates like Castle Vale and Bromford.

   The planning decisions of the post-war years were to have a profound
   effect on the image of Birmingham in subsequent decades, with the mix
   of ring roads, shopping malls and tower blocks often referred to as a '
   concrete jungle'. In more recent years, Birmingham has learnt from what
   many see as the mistakes of the 1960s and instituted the largest tower
   block demolition and renovation programmes anywhere in Europe. There
   has been a lot of new building in the city centre in recent years,
   including the award-winning Future Systems' Selfridges building, an
   irregularly-shaped structure covered in thousands of reflective discs
   (see picture), the Brindleyplace development and the Millennium Point
   science and technology centre.

   Highrise development has slowed since the 1970s and mainly in recent
   years due to enforcements on the heights of buildings as they could
   affect aircraft from the International Airport. Beetham Tower, standing
   on Holloway Circus was originally going to be about 190 metres tall
   however, the CAA forced the Beetham organisation to reduce the height
   of the tower to 122 metres. Another tower that has been forced to be
   reduced in height is Arena Central Tower which is yet to be
   constructed. The tower was originally going to be 245 metres in height
   however after the attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York City,
   it was shortened to 180 metres. However, these rules are now being
   scrapped as it has been recognised that interest in highrise
   architecture for the city has been reduced. One of the latest towers
   that has been allowed to be increased in height is the Broad Street
   Tower which is set to be 134 metres and will most likely be approved
   due to the airport removing all objections to it.

   Some fine architects hail from the city such as Glenn Howells and Ken
   Shuttleworth.

Politics

   Birmingham City Council is the largest local authority in the UK.
   Following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004 it has 120
   councillors representing just under one million people, in 40 wards.

   After the election of 4 May 2006, there is no overall control, with the
   120 seats being divided between the Labour, (44 councillors),
   Conservative (41) and Liberal Democrat ("Lib Dem", 33) parties, with 2
   Others.

   In the 2006 elections, when a third of the council was up for
   re-election, Labour lost a net total of two seats, the Conservatives
   made a net gain of one, the Liberal Democrats had no change, and
   Respect won a seat. It initially appeared that the British National
   Party had also gained a seat, but it soon transpired their candidate's
   election had been caused by a counting error and was subsequently
   overturned in favour of the previously third-placed Labour party
   candidate following an election petition.

   There is a Conservative/Lib Dem coalition, with Conservative group
   leader Mike Whitby as Leader of the council and Lib Dem group leader
   Paul Tilsley as Deputy Leader.

   Birmingham's eleven parliamentary constituencies are represented in the
   House of Commons by one Conservative, one Liberal Democrat, and 9
   Labour MPs.

   Law enforcement in Birmingham is carried out by the West Midlands
   Police and fire and rescue by the West Midlands Fire Service.

   Birmingham is also the seat of the Government Office for the West
   Midlands region.

Demographics

   Birmingham is an ethnically and culturally diverse city. Birmingham has
   the smallest white population by percentage of many of the major
   cities. 29.6% of its population is non-white, where as London, commonly
   seen as the most diverse of British cities is 29.0% non-white. This is
   compared to Liverpool which is only 5.1% non-white.

   At the time of the 2001 census, 70.4% of the population was White
   (including 3.2% Irish & 1.5% Other White), 19.5% British Asian 6.1%
   Black or Black British, 0.5% Chinese, and 3.5% of mixed race or other
   ethnic heritage.

   The population density is 3,649 people per square km. 23.4% of people
   were aged under 16, 57.7% were aged between 16 and 59, while 18.9% were
   aged over 60. The average age was 36, compared with 38.6 years for
   England.

Places of interest

Museums and galleries

   Chamberlain Square
   Enlarge
   Chamberlain Square

   Birmingham has a rich industrial history which is now preserved in many
   museums located all over Birmingham city centre and outside the city
   centre boundaries. Many museums are preserved buildings which are
   restored to the time period in which they were most significant.

   The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery looks over Chamberlain Square. It
   contains collections of archaeological findings, ethnography, natural
   history and social history and also hosts exhibitions in adjacent
   halls.

   The Birmingham Thinktank is one of the newest museums in the city which
   replaced the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery Science Museum. It is
   part of the Millennium Point complex in the Eastside area of
   Birmingham.

   Aston Hall is a large hall in Aston built between 1618 and 1635. It is
   now preserved, along with gardens, with free admission.

   The Birmingham Back to Backs are the last surviving court of
   back-to-back houses in the city. They are decorated in different time
   periods to give visitors an idea of what living in each house was like
   during different decades.

   The Jewellery Quarter in Hockley is the largest concentration of
   dedicated jewellers in Europe and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
   shows the history of the area and the building it is situated in. The
   interiors are maintained to the standard to what was found when the
   building was first accessed after being abandoned.
   Sarehole Mill
   Enlarge
   Sarehole Mill

   Sarehole Mill is a water mill museum in Hall Green. J. R. R. Tolkien
   lived within 300 metres of the mill between the ages four and eight,
   and would have seen it from his house. This makes the mill a favourable
   destination for fans of the author.

   Blakesley Hall is a Tudor style house in Yardley which has been
   preserved as an attraction along with the gardens and a visitor centre.

   The Gun Quarter was once the foremost gun manufacturing community in
   the UK and now contains a wide range of Victorian style buildings.

   The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is both an art gallery and concert
   hall. As well as housing some famous works by Vincent van Gogh and
   Pablo Picasso, it also has one of the worlds most detailed and largest
   coin collections. In 2004, the gallery received the title, Gallery of
   the Year.

   Cadbury World is a museum showing visitors the stages and steps of
   chocolate production and the history of chocolate and the company which
   started on Bull Street in the city centre. However, the museum is
   located in Bournville.

Sports locations

   Birmingham has two major football teams which play in their own parks;
   Villa Park ( Aston Villa Football Club) and St Andrews ( Birmingham
   City Football Club). Birmingham is also home to greyhound racing and
   has two tracks in Perry Barr and Hall Green, Perry Barr undergoing a
   major refurbishment in 2004. Major cricket competitions are often held
   at Warwickshire County Cricket Club in Edgbaston. Sporting events are
   also held at the National Indoor Arena (NIA).

Parks and squares

   'The River' in Victoria Square.
   Enlarge
   'The River' in Victoria Square.

   There are over 8000 acres of parkland open spaces in Birmingham. The
   largest of the parks is Sutton Park covering 2400 acres making it the
   largest urban nature reserve in Europe.

   Another major park in the city is Cannon Hill Park which contains a
   timber-framed house, a model of the Elan Valley Reservoirs and two
   lakes. BRMB, the local radio station, hosts the Party in the Park in
   Cannon Hill Park. The mac, a non profit arts centre, is located in the
   park not far from the model of the Elan Valley Reservoirs.

   Birmingham Botanical Gardens are a Victorian creation which still exist
   to this day with a conservatory and bandstand. The large area is a
   superb opportunity for recreation and relaxation and is not far from
   the city centre.

   There are numerous squares in Birmingham city centre. Many contain
   memorials and pieces of art. Four major squares in the city centre are:
     * Centenary Square
     * Chamberlain Square featuring a BBC Big Screen
     * Victoria Square
     * St. Martins Square in the Bullring

   In the Jewellery Quarter is St Paul's Square which is located around a
   Grade I listed church of Georgian architecture. The surrounding area is
   largely listed after restoration of the buildings in the 1970s.

Religious buildings

   St Philip's Cathedral from the rear
   Enlarge
   St Philip's Cathedral from the rear

   Birmingham was made a city in 1889. Stemming from this, the Diocese of
   Birmingham was created in 1905 and St Philip's was accordingly upgraded
   from church to cathedral status. The cathedral is surrounded by a
   churchyard which is a popular congregating area. The other cathedral in
   the city is Saint Chad's Cathedral, which is the seat of the Roman
   Catholic Province of Birmingham. St Martin in the Bull Ring is a Grade
   II listed church in the centre of St Martin's Square in the Bullring
   Shopping Centre.

   There is also a variety of non-Christian religions in the city. In the
   1960s Central Mosque was constructed for the Muslim community of the
   city. It is one of the largest mosques in Europe.

Leisure

   Two major developments have regenerated two parts of the city in recent
   years. Brindleyplace is a major canalside development which required
   the restoration of many old warehouses into restaurants and the
   construction of office buildings. The other development was the
   Birmingham Bull Ring which replaced an older shopping centre which had
   become disliked by the public.

   Another modern shopping centre is The Mailbox which features many
   expensive designer stores as well as offices and apartments next to the
   canals.

   The Convention Quarter features many broadcasting companies and radio
   stations in the city centre. The area is modern and was developed
   around the same time as Brindleyplace. The National Sealife Centre is
   located alongside the canals next to the main square at Brindleyplace.

   Outside of the city centre is Star City which is a major entertainment
   complex which houses a large cinema, casino and restaurant area.

   Other areas of interest are:
     * Town Hall which is located next to Victoria Square and Chamberlain
       Square.
     * Birmingham University
     * National Exhibition Centre (The NEC) which is a major music and
       exhibition venue near the airport.

Famous residents

   Joseph Chamberlain, Neville Chamberlain, J. R. R. Tolkien, Tony
   Hancock, Nigel Mansell and Ozzy Osbourne are a few of the many famous
   names associated with Birmingham.

   For a larger list see List of famous residents of Birmingham

   You can also browse the list of Blue Plaques erected by The Birmingham
   Civic Society to the city's eminent citizens.

Transport

   A canal tunnel, looking towards Gas Street Basin, in Birmingham city
   centre
   Enlarge
   A canal tunnel, looking towards Gas Street Basin, in Birmingham city
   centre

   Due in part to its central location in England, Birmingham is a major
   transport hub on the motorway, rail, and canal networks.

Roads

   Birmingham is served by a number of major roads, including the M5, M6,
   M6 Toll, M40, and M42 motorways. Junction 6 of the M6 is also one of
   Birmingham's most famous landmarks, and probably the most famous
   motorway junction in the UK: Spaghetti Junction, officially called the
   Gravelly Hill Interchange. The city is also known for the numerous
   junctions with pedestrian tunnels within the city centre itself which
   have been redeveloped through demolition or reorganisation. One of the
   most significant of these redevelopments was Masshouse (also known as
   the "Concrete collar") which saw the demolition of an entire elevated
   junction. Other projects include Snow Hill Queensway with St Chads
   Circus.

   Birmingham also forms a major hub in the National Express coach
   network, which is based in Birmingham and operates services from
   Digbeth Coach Station. This is due to be redeveloped by 2008 after
   plans to build a replacement coach station next to Snow Hill Station on
   Great Charles Street Queensway were abandoned due to a breakdown in
   discussions between National Express and the City Council. A temporary
   coach station is due to be made at the former Volkswagen dealership on
   the opposite side of the road to the coach station. Birmingham also has
   a Megabus service to London.

Airports and aviation

   Birmingham is served by Birmingham International Airport, which has
   flights to Europe, North America, the Middle East and South Asia. It is
   the fifth busiest airport in the UK, and handles (as of 2005) nine
   million passengers a year. The airport has published a master plan for
   its development up to 2030. The first major element is an extension to
   the main runway, targeted for completion in time for the 2012 London
   Olympics. The extension will increase the runway length to 3000 metres,
   as well as including a starter strip to provide a maximum takeoff run
   of 3150 metres.

Local transport

   Local public transport is by bus, local train and tram (the Midland
   Metro light railway system between the city centre and Wolverhampton).

   The Midland Metro tram system is due for expansion which will see it on
   major streets in the city centre such as Broad Street which has been
   partially funded by the developers of Arena Central at a cost of £5
   million.

   The bus services in the city are run by Travel West Midlands (TWM) with
   the routes also adopted by smaller bus companies in different buses.
   Travel West Midlands are constantly introducing newer, more modern
   buses to replace older buses which have been frowned upon due to the
   pollution they create. Routes are sometimes reorganised with the most
   recent being the bus routes from Sutton Coldfield to the city centre.

   The number 11A and 11C outer circle bus routes are the longest urban
   bus routes in Europe. In recent years, the council has tried to move
   bus stops out of the city centre (especially off Corporation Street) to
   ease congestion and move them to the boundaries of the city centre. In
   a notable attempt to move buses away from the city centre, the bus
   mall, a large area for buses to stop, was constructed next to the Bull
   Ring Shopping Centre however due to the complicated layout, the amount
   of buses travelling through was reduced as it caused a several
   accidents.
   Curzon Street railway station from the front.
   Enlarge
   Curzon Street railway station from the front.

   The city's main station, Birmingham New Street, is at the centre of the
   national rail network, whilst Birmingham International railway station
   serves Birmingham International Airport. Two other major stations are
   located in the city centre: Birmingham Snow Hill Station and Birmingham
   Moor Street railway station. The first railway station in the city
   centre was Curzon Street railway station which opened in 1838, however,
   its location on the edge of the city centre made it unsuccessful and it
   closed in 1966.

   In 2005, the City Council launched a strategy to encourage cycling. The
   council developed the city-wide cycle route network by identifying and
   tackling hazardous locations for cyclists and creating better cycling
   facilities. They also took cyclists' needs into account in all road
   maintenance and construction. In 1995, they set a target to increase
   cycle use in Birmingham from 1.5% to 5% by the year 2005.

Canals

   Birmingham is also notable for its canal system; formerly the lifeblood
   of the city's industries, their use is now mainly for pleasure. There
   are 35 miles (60 kilometres) of canals in the city, most remaining
   navigable. The abundance of canals has led to the frequently made claim
   that "Birmingham has more canals than Venice". Although this is in some
   sense correct (Venice has 26 miles (41 kilometres)), Birmingham is far
   larger , and the types of waterway are very different. Birmingham's
   canals are comparatively shallow artificial channels, while those in
   Venice are primarily reinforced natural channels between islands of the
   lagoon on which the city stands.

Education

   The city council is England's largest local education authority,
   directly or indirectly responsible for 25 nursery schools, 328 primary
   schools, 77 secondary schools and 29 special schools . It also runs the
   library service, with 4 million visitors annually , and provides around
   4000 adult education courses throughout the year .

   Birmingham has three universities: the University of Birmingham, Aston
   University and the University of Central England (UCE). It also has two
   other higher education colleges ( Newman College and the Birmingham
   College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies). The Birmingham
   Conservatoire and Birmingham School of Acting, both now part of UCE,
   offer higher education in the arts. The conservatoire planning to move
   from their current location in Adrian Boult Hall to a site in the
   Eastside which was first intended for a large library.

   A minority of the city's children receive private education. King
   Edward's School is perhaps the most prestigious independent school in
   the city. The seven schools of The King Edward VI Foundation are known
   nationally for setting the very highest academic standards and all of
   the schools consistently achieve top positions in national league
   tables.

   Matthew Boulton College is also located in the city. In 2005, the
   Eastside branch of the college was completed and opened. The University
   of Central England opened the New Technology Institute facility in the
   same area in 2006.

Sport

   The NIA has hosted many national and international sporting
   championships.
   Enlarge
   The NIA has hosted many national and international sporting
   championships.

   A cricket club was in existence in Birmingham as early as 1745, and
   today the city is home to Warwickshire County Cricket Club whose ground
   at Edgbaston is also a venue for international Test matches.
   International athletics meetings take place at the open-air Alexander
   Stadium in Perry Barr, the home of Birchfield Harriers athletic club,
   which numbers many Olympic medallists among its past and present
   members. The National Indoor Arena (NIA) meanwhile is a major indoor
   athletics stadium and in 2003 hosted the 9th IAAF World Indoor
   Championships in Athletics. The city has also hosted the IBF World
   Championships in 1993 and 2003 which were both held in the National
   Indoor Arena. The NIA has also hosted the All England Open Badminton
   Championships from 1994 onwards and the British Indoor Rowing
   Championships since 2000.

   The first ever game of lawn tennis was played in Edgbaston in 1859;
   international tennis is still played at Edgbaston's Priory Club .

   The city is home to two of the UK's oldest professional football teams:
   Aston Villa (1874) and Birmingham City (1875), until recently both
   played in the FA Premier League, however at the end of the 2005-2006
   season Birmingham City were relegated to the Coca Cola Championship.
   The world's first professional football league was founded at a meeting
   in Aston on March 22, 1885 under the auspices of William McGregor, a
   director of Aston Villa. Aston Villa is one of only four English
   football clubs to have been crowned champions of Europe; they did so by
   winning the European Cup in 1982.

   Birmingham also has a professional Rugby Union side, Moseley RFC, and
   there is professional basketball team called the Birmingham Bullets as
   well as professional boxing, hockey, skateboarding, and greyhound
   racing in the city.

   Birmingham has a large concentration of Martial Arts Clubs and is
   thought by some to have the highest concentration of Martial Artists in
   the UK.

   Birmingham is also home to the sportswear manufacturer Epsc with the
   founder of the company having attended The University of Birmingham.

   Birmingham was the first city to be awarded the title National City of
   Sport by the Sports Council.

Sports Teams In Birmingham

   Club Sport Founded League Venue
   Birmingham Bullets Basketball 1974 British Basketball League North
   Solihull Sports Centre
   Warwickshire County Cricket Club Cricket 1882 National Cricket League
   County Ground
   Aston Villa Football 1874 FA Premier League Villa Park
   Birmingham City Football 1875 The Championship St Andrews Stadium
   Castle Vale Football Midland Football Combination Premier Division
   Moseley Rugby Club Rugby union 1873 National Division One Billesley
   Common

Food & drink

   Birmingham based Breweries included Ansells, Davenports and Mitchells &
   Butlers. Aston Manor Brewery is currently the only brewery of any
   significant size.

   Many fine Victorian pubs and bars can still be found across the city.
   The oldest inn in Birmingham is the Old Crown in Deritend (circa 1450).
   The Anchor Inn (1797), is also nearby in Digbeth. For a more
   contemporary night out the city has a plethora of nightclubs and bars.
   Perhaps Birmingham's most famous street for nights out is Broad Street
   which also has a cinema and many restaurants on it.

   Famous food brands from Birmingham include Typhoo tea, Birds custard,
   Blue Bird Toffee, Bournville cocoa, Cadbury chocolate, and HP Sauce
   which was based within Aston.

   Alum Rock, Saltley contains the largest concentration of take-away
   businesses in Birmingham.

   Ladypool Road, Sparkhill contains the largest concentration of
   restaurants in Birmingham and possibly the UK.

   The Wing Yip food empire first began in the city and now has its
   headquarters in the Chinese Quarter.

   In 1945, Abdul Aziz opened a cafe shop selling curry and rice in
   Steelhouse Lane. This later became The Darjeeling, the first Indian
   restaurant in Birmingham. The Balti was invented in the city and has
   since received much gastronomic acclaim for the 'Balti Belt' of
   restaurants in the Sparkhill, Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Ladypool
   areas. The Balti Belt is also known as the Balti Triangle among locals.

   The city boasts two Michelin starred restaurants: Simpson's and
   Jessica's, both in Edgbaston.

   The BBC Good Food Show takes place at The National Exhibition Centre,
   and is Britain's biggest food event.

Culture and arts

Popular music

   Black Sabbath, a pioneer band in heavy-metal music, was formed in
   Birmingham.
   Enlarge
   Black Sabbath, a pioneer band in heavy-metal music, was formed in
   Birmingham.

   Birmingham has had a vibrant and varied musical history over the last
   century.

   In the 1960s, the " Brum Beat" era featured blues and early progressive
   rock bands such as The Fortunes, Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, The Move
   and The Moody Blues.

   The city is often described as the birthplace of heavy metal music,
   with Judas Priest and Black Sabbath coming from Birmingham. Robert
   Plant and John Bonham came from nearby towns, and played in local Brum
   Beat bands before forming one half of Led Zeppelin.

   In the 1970s members of The Move and The Idle Race formed the Electric
   Light Orchestra and Wizzard. The 1970s also saw the rise of reggae and
   ska in the city, with Steel Pulse and later on UB40, The Beat and
   Musical Youth. Singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading had many hits during
   this decade.

   The 1980s brought Duran Duran, possibly the most successful new
   romantic group, and Dexy's Midnight Runners, and the 1990s the
   Charlatans, Dodgy and Ocean Colour Scene. Recent chart success has come
   from Mike Skinner (also known as The Streets), R&B singer Jamelia, Fyfe
   Dangerfield (singer/songwriter) of the Guillemots (band), Mistys Big
   Adventure and Editors.

   Jazz is popular in the city, and the annual Birmingham International
   Jazz Festival is the largest of its kind in the UK.

   Party in the Park, a popular chart music event, is Birmingham's largest
   music festival.

   In 1998, Birmingham was the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest,
   which took place in the National Indoor Arena in the City Centre.

   Birmingham has also been synonymous in the development of the British
   electronic music scene. Digbeth, near the city centre, features some of
   the country's top dance clubs, including Air, host to the eminent
   Godskitchen. The nearby National Exhibition Centre has played host to
   the biggest indoor dance events in the country.

Classical music

   The internationally-renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's
   home venue is Symphony Hall, where it gives frequent performances.

   Birmingham is one of the few remaining cities in the UK to still have
   the position of City Organist. Since 1834 only 7 men have held this
   position, the current holder, Thomas Trotter has been in post since
   1983. Weekly recitals have been given since the organ in Birmingham
   Town Hall was opened. The recitals are temporarily being held in St.
   Philip's Cathedral, until the Town Hall organ opens again after
   restoration in 2006.

   The equally world-renowned Birmingham Royal Ballet also resides in the
   city as does the world's oldest vocational dance school, Elmhurst
   School for Dance.

   The Birmingham Triennial Music Festivals took place from 1784 - 1912
   and was considered the grandest of its kind throughout Britain. Music
   was written for the festival and conducted or performed by Mendelssohn,
   Gounod, Sullivan, Dvořák, Bantock and most notably Elgar, who wrote
   four of his most famous choral pieces for Birmingham.

   Albert William Ketèlbey was born at 41 Alma Street, Aston in 1875.

   Andrew Glover composer, was born in Birmingham, 1962

   Birmingham's other city-centre music venues include The National Indoor
   Arena (NIA), the CBSO Centre, Adrian Boult Hall at Birmingham
   Conservatoire and Birmingham Town Hall (currently closed for
   refurbishment).

Theatre

   There are many theatres in Birmingham. The four largest professional
   theatres are the Alexandra Theatre ("the Alex"), Birmingham Repertory
   Theatre ("The Rep"), the Birmingham Hippodrome and the Old Rep. The mac
   and Drum Arts Centre also host many professional plays.

   The Fierce Festival teams with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
   annually to present a series of quirky performances from local and
   national companies.

Literature

   Literary figures associated with Birmingham include Samuel Johnson , J.
   R. R. Tolkien, Arthur Conan Doyle, Louis MacNeice, Washington Irving,
   David Lodge, W. H. Auden, Roi Kwabena and Benjamin Zephaniah. J. R. R.
   Tolkien is said to have been inspired by areas and buildings in the
   city such as Perrott's Folly and Moseley Bog for scenes in The Lord of
   the Rings.

Libraries

   The main library for the city is Central Library. The library has been
   redeveloped over a period of 150 years with the first Central Library
   opening in 1865. However, this library was destroyed in 1879. A
   replacement was built and in 1974, it was demolished with the new
   library and current library standing next to it. One of the collections
   was housed in the Shakespeare Memorial Room which houses collections of
   William Shakespeare's literary pieces.

   A replacement library was planned for the Eastside area however, it was
   deemed unnecessary and did not go further than the planning stage. It
   is now expected to be divided into two sites, one housing the special
   collections and the other as a reference library.

   There are 41 libraries in Birmingham overall and a regular mobile
   library service serves the city too.

Visual art

   The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
   Enlarge
   The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

   Birmingham has one of the largest collections of Pre-Raphaelite art in
   the world at The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Edward Burne-Jones
   was born in Birmingham, spent his first twenty years in the city, and
   later became the president of the Birmingham Society of Artists. The
   Barber Institute of Fine Arts, found in Edgbaston, was declared
   'Gallery of the Year' by the 2004 Good Britain Guide. The Ikon Gallery
   off Broad Street hosts displays of modern and installation art with a
   more contemporary feel. For a fuller list of art galleries in
   Birmingham, see Arts in Birmingham.

   Other famous Birmingham artists include David Cox, David Bomberg, and
   various Afro-Caribbean artists including Pogus Caesar, Keith Piper and
   Donald Rodney.

   Graffiti (or "spraycan art") culture appeared in the early 1980s, and
   graffiti art competitions are still regularly held.

   The construction of the Bull Ring Shopping Centre allowed local and
   international artists to display their work. These included three light
   wands which were erected at the main entrance, a huge mural on a glass
   facade located at the entrance facing New Street station and three
   fountains in St Martin's square in the shape of cubes, which are
   illuminated at night in different colours.

Festivals and shows

   Birmingham is home to many national, religious and spiritual festivals
   including a St. George's Day party. The Birmingham Tattoo is a military
   show that has taken place in the city for several years. The currently
   biennial Caribbean- style Birmingham International Carnival was
   originally the Handsworth Carnival, held in Handsworth Park from 1984,
   but now takes place in the August of odd- numbered years, parading
   through the streets of Handsworth to Perry Barr Park. Birmingham Pride
   takes place in the 'gay village' and attracts up to 100,000 visitors
   each year. The city also hosts an annual arts festival ArtsFest during
   September, where people can enjoy many of the regions' arts, free. It
   is the largest free arts festival in the UK.

   The city's largest single-day event is its St. Patrick's Day parade
   (Europe's second largest, after the one in Dublin).

Newspapers

   Birmingham has two local daily newspapers - the Birmingham Post and the
   Birmingham Mail - as well as the Sunday Mercury, all owned by the
   Trinity Mirror, who also produce The Birmingham News, a weekly
   freesheet distributed to homes in the leafy suburbs along with Forward
   (formerly Birmingham Voice), the Birmingham City Council's free
   newspaper distributed to homes and via community centres and public
   buildings.

   Birmingham is also the hub for various national ethnic media, including
   The Voice, The Sikh Times, Desi Xpress, The Asian Today and Raj TV
   (based in the Mailbox).

Film

   The Electric Cinema on Station Street is the oldest working cinema in
   the UK, and Oscar Deutsch opened his first Odeon cinema in Perry Barr
   during the 1920s. The Birmingham Film Festival takes place annually,
   and the Birmingham School of Acting won a Royal Television Society
   award for their short film 'Soul Boy'. Star City is said to be Europe's
   largest leisure and cinema complex and is not far from the Britain's
   only permanent drive-in cinema maintained by T-Mobile; both are in
   Nechells.

Television

   The BBC has two bases in the city. BBC Birmingham, located in The
   Mailbox, is the headquarters of the BBC in the English Regions and has
   extensive news and production facilities. It is the home of programmes
   such as Midlands Today and the world's longest running radio soap
   opera, The Archers. The BBC Drama Village, based in Selly Oak, is a
   production facility specialising in television drama and is the home of
   nationally networked programmes such as Dalziel & Pascoe and Doctors.
   Before 2004 the BBC's Birmingham home was at the famous Pebble Mill
   Studios.

   The area was one of the first to receive programming from the new ITV
   network in 1955. The networks' original representatives were Associated
   TeleVision (ATV) who served the area during the week and ABC Weekend TV
   who broadcast at the weekends. In 1968 ATV won the contract to serve
   the area seven days a week and built new studios off Broad Street at
   the heart of the city featuring the landmark Alpha Tower. In 1982 ATV
   was reorganised and became Central Independent Television, which was
   rebranded as Carlton Central in 1999 and again as ITV Central in 2004.
   ITV's Birmingham studios are famous for many shows, including Tiswas,
   Crossroads and Bullseye.

Radio

   Local radio stations include BRMB, Galaxy, Heart FM, Kerrang! 105.2,
   New Style Radio 98.7FM, Saga 105.7FM, and BBC WM. There is also one
   hospital radio station, which covers 10 of the city's hospitals, called
   BHBN (Birmingham Hospital Broadcasting Network) Hospital Radio, which
   has been broadcasting since 1952.

Nightlife

   There is a large number of clubs and bars in the city centre, mainly
   along Broad Street and into Brindleyplace which has now become the
   city's centre for nighttime entertainment.

   Preclub bars are common in varying themes and music tastes as well as
   clubs of varying themes which are located in the area including a
   sports cafe, comedy club and lapdancing club. The smaller of the clubs
   are located in older buildings such as the former Second Church of
   Christ the Scientist which now is home of the 1970s themed Flares.
   Larger premises resulted in a large club called The Works being set up
   which sometimes performs a light display.

   There are many stylish clubs and bars outside the Broad Street area.
   The Medicine Bar in the Custard Factory, The Sanctuary, Rainbow Pub and
   Air in Digbeth are very popular. Many bars and club nights exist in
   areas such as the Arcadian and Hurst Street by China Town, Summer Row,
   The Mailbox, and St Philips/Colmore Row and Jewellery Quarter. There
   are number of late night pubs in the Irish Quarter.

Gay and lesbian

   Birmingham features its own annual festival known as Birmingham Pride.
   The three day event is located on Hurst Street which is generally
   considered the centre of the gay scene of Birmingham. A parade is also
   featured in the festival. The organisers say that the festival is the
   largest free gay and lesbian event in the United Kingdom.

   Birmingham's first civil partnership was held on December 21, 2005 at
   the Birmingham Register Office.

   Birmingham City Council designated February 2006, LBGT History Month
   which celebrated the history of LGBT. The success of the event prompted
   the planning of another event in February 2007. Birmingham Central
   Library then called for sources which aided a new collection of LGBT
   resources including books and video.

Science and invention

   Local inventions and notable firsts include: gas lighting, roller skate
   wheels, the Baskerville Font, questionnaires, Custard powder, foam
   rubber, the magnetron (the core component in the development of radar
   and microwave ovens), the UK electroplating industry, the first ever
   use of radiography in an operation, and the UK's first ever
   hole-in-the-heart operation, at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

   Among the city's notable scientists and inventors are:
     * Matthew Boulton, proprietor of the Soho engineering works.
     * Sir Francis Galton, originator of eugenics and important techniques
       in statistics.
     * Alexander Parkes, inventor of celluloid, the first synthetic
       plastic.
     * Joseph Priestley, chemist and radical.
     * James Watt, engineer and inventor; associated with the steam
       engine.
     * John Wright, inventor of a type of electroplating.

Town twinning

   Birmingham's town twins are:
   * United States Chicago, Illinois (United States)
   * Germany Frankfurt, Germany
   * South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa

                                                      * Germany Leipzig, Germany
                                                      * France Lyon, France
                                                      * Italy Milan, Italy

   Birmingham, Alabama is named after the city and shares an industrial
   kinship.

Suburbs of the city

   Acock's Green, Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath, Bartley Green,
   Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Bournville, Bromford, Castle Vale,
   Cotteridge, Digbeth, Edgbaston, Erdington, Garretts Green, Great Barr,
   Greet, Hall Green, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Harborne, Hollywood,
   King's Heath, Kings Norton, Kingstanding, Kitt's Green, Ladywood,
   Longbridge, Lozells, Minworth, Moseley, New Oscott, Northfield, Perry
   Barr, Rednal, Rubery, Saltley, Selly Oak, Selly Park, Sheldon, Small
   Heath, Sparkbrook, Sparkhill, Stechford, Stirchley, Sutton Coldfield,
   Tyseley, Ward End, Washwood Heath, Weoley Castle, Witton, Woodgate,
   Yardley, Yardley Wood.

Nearby places

     * Cities: Coventry, Leicester, Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Worcester
     * Towns: Bedworth, Cannock, Droitwich, Dudley, Halesowen, Kenilworth,
       Kidderminster, Nuneaton, Redditch, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby,
       Solihull, Stafford, Stourbridge, Stratford-upon-Avon, Tamworth,
       Warwick, Walsall, West Bromwich
     * Villages: Aldridge, Little Aston, Streetly
     * See also the Black Country

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