Birmingham

Birmingham is a big and important city in England. It is the largest city by population in England and is often called the second city of the United Kingdom. With over 1.2 million people living in the city itself, Birmingham is a busy and lively place. It is located in the West Midlands region, just west of the traditional center point of England.

Historically, Birmingham started as a small market town. But during the Industrial Revolution, it grew very quickly. Many new inventions and industries began here, making it known as the first manufacturing town in the world. This history helped shape Birmingham into a center for ideas, politics, and progress.

Today, Birmingham is a major center for business, education, and culture. It has many universities, famous music groups, theaters, and art galleries. The city also hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games, showing its importance on the world stage. With its rich history and modern economy, Birmingham remains a key part of the United Kingdom.

Toponymy

The name Birmingham comes from an old language called Old English. It means "the home of the Beormingas," which was a group of people. The name "Beorma" might have been a leader, an ancestor, or even a legendary figure from long ago. Names ending in "-ingahām" usually mean an important early settlement, so Birmingham was probably established by the 7th century. Nearby places with names ending in "-tūn," "-lēah," "-worð," or "-field" were likely smaller farms or clearings that grew up later.

Old English Beormingas Anglo-Saxon Beorma British

History

Main articles: History of Birmingham, Economic history of Birmingham, Science and invention in Birmingham, and Timeline of Birmingham history

Pre-history and medieval

There is evidence of early human activity in the Birmingham area dating back to around 8000 BC, with Stone Age artefacts suggesting seasonal settlements, overnight hunting parties and woodland activities such as tree felling. The many burnt mounds that can still be seen around the city indicate that modern humans first intensively settled and cultivated the area during the Bronze Age, when a substantial but short-lived influx of population occurred between 1700 BC and 1000 BC, possibly caused by conflict or immigration in the surrounding area. During the 1st-century Roman conquest of Britain, the forested country of the Birmingham Plateau formed a barrier to the advancing Roman legions, who built the large Metchley Fort in the area of modern-day Edgbaston in AD 48, and made it the focus of a network of Roman roads. Birmingham was then later established by the Beormingas around the 6th or 7th century as a small settlement in the then heavily forested Arden region in Mercia.

The development of Birmingham into a significant urban and commercial centre began in 1166, when the Lord of the Manor Peter de Bermingham obtained a charter to hold a market at his castle, and followed this with the creation of a planned market town and seigneurial borough within his demesne or manorial estate, around the site that became the Bull Ring. This established Birmingham as the primary commercial centre for the Birmingham Plateau at a time when the area's economy was expanding rapidly, with population growth nationally leading to the clearance, cultivation and settlement of previously marginal land. Within a century of the charter Birmingham had grown into a prosperous urban centre of merchants and craftsmen. By 1327 it was the third-largest town in Warwickshire, a position it would retain for the next 200 years.

Early modern

The principal governing institutions of medieval Birmingham – including the Guild of the Holy Cross and the lordship of the de Birmingham family – collapsed between 1536 and 1547, leaving the town with an unusually high degree of social and economic freedom and initiating a period of transition and growth.

The importance of the manufacture of iron goods to Birmingham's economy was recognised as early as 1538, and grew rapidly as the century progressed. Equally significant was the town's emerging role as a centre for the iron merchants who organised finance, supplied raw materials and traded and marketed the industry's products. By the 1600s Birmingham formed the commercial hub of a network of forges and furnaces stretching from South Wales to Cheshire and its merchants were selling finished manufactured goods as far afield as the West Indies. These trading links gave Birmingham's metalworkers access to much wider markets, allowing them to diversify away from lower-skilled trades producing basic goods for local sale, towards a broader range of specialist, higher-skilled and more lucrative activities.

By the time of the English Civil War Birmingham's booming economy, its expanding population, and its resulting high levels of social mobility and cultural pluralism, had seen it develop new social structures very different from those of more established areas. Relationships were built around pragmatic commercial linkages rather than the rigid paternalism and deference of feudal society, and loyalties to the traditional hierarchies of the established church and aristocracy were weak. The town's reputation for political radicalism and its strongly Parliamentarian sympathies saw it attacked by Royalist forces in the Battle of Birmingham in 1643, and it developed into a centre of Puritanism in the 1630s and as a haven for Nonconformists from the 1660s.

By 1700 Birmingham's population had increased fifteen-fold and the town was the fifth-largest in England and Wales. The 18th century saw this tradition of free-thinking and collaboration blossom into the cultural phenomenon now known as the Midlands Enlightenment. The town developed into a notable centre of literary, musical, artistic and theatrical activity; and its leading citizens – particularly the members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham – became influential participants in the circulation of philosophical and scientific ideas among Europe's intellectual elite. The close relationship between Enlightenment Birmingham's leading thinkers and its major manufacturers – in men like Matthew Boulton and James Keir they were often in fact the same people – made it particularly important for the exchange of knowledge between pure science and the practical world of manufacturing and technology. This created a "chain reaction of innovation", forming a pivotal link between the earlier Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution that would follow.

Industrial Revolution

Birmingham's explosive industrial expansion started earlier than that of the textile-manufacturing towns of the North of England, and was driven by different factors. Instead of the economies of scale of a low-paid, unskilled workforce producing a single bulk product such as cotton or wool in large, mechanised units of production, Birmingham's industrial development was built on the adaptability and creativity of a highly paid workforce with a strong division of labour, practising a broad variety of skilled specialist trades and producing a constantly diversifying range of products, in a highly entrepreneurial economy of small, often self-owned workshops. This led to exceptional levels of inventiveness: between 1760 and 1850 – the core years of the Industrial Revolution – Birmingham residents registered over three times as many patents as those of any other British town or city.

The demand for capital to feed rapid economic expansion also saw Birmingham grow into a major financial and commercial centre with extensive international connections. Lloyds Bank was founded in the town in 1765, and Ketley's Building Society, the world's first building society, in 1775. By 1800 the West Midlands had more banking offices per head than any other region in Britain, including London.

Innovation in 18th-century Birmingham often took the form of incremental series of small-scale improvements to existing products or processes, but also included major developments that lay at the heart of the emergence of industrial society. In 1709 the Birmingham-trained Abraham Darby I moved to Coalbrookdale in Shropshire and built the first blast furnace to successfully smelt iron ore with coke, transforming the quality, volume and scale on which it was possible to produce cast iron. In 1732 Lewis Paul and John Wyatt invented roller spinning, the "one novel idea of the first importance" in the development of the mechanised cotton industry. In 1741 they opened the world's first cotton mill in Birmingham's Upper Priory. In 1746 John Roebuck invented the lead chamber process, enabling the large-scale manufacture of sulphuric acid, and in 1780 James Keir developed a process for the bulk manufacture of alkali, together marking the birth of the modern chemical industry. In 1765 Matthew Boulton opened the Soho Manufactory, pioneering the combination and mechanisation under one roof of previously separate manufacturing activities through a system known as "rational manufacture". As the largest manufacturing unit in Europe, this came to symbolise the emergence of the factory system.

Most significant, however, was the development in 1776 of the industrial steam engine by James Watt and Matthew Boulton. Freeing for the first time the manufacturing capacity of human society from the limited availability of hand, water and animal power, this was arguably the pivotal moment of the entire Industrial Revolution and a key factor in the worldwide increases in productivity over the following century.

Regency and Victorian

Birmingham rose to national political prominence in the campaign for political reform in the early 19th century, with Thomas Attwood and the Birmingham Political Union bringing the country to the brink of civil war during the Days of May that preceded the passing of the Reform Act 1832. The union's meetings on Newhall Hill in 1831 and 1832 were the largest political assemblies Britain had ever seen. Lord Durham, who drafted the act, wrote that "the country owed Reform to Birmingham, and its salvation from revolution". This reputation for having "shaken the fabric of privilege to its base" in 1832 led John Bright to make Birmingham the platform for his successful campaign for the Reform Act 1867, which extended voting rights to the urban working class.

The original charter of incorporation, dated 31 October 1838, was received in Birmingham on 1 November, then read in the town hall on 5 November with elections for the first Birmingham Town Council being held on 26 December. Sixteen aldermen and 48 councillors were elected and the borough was divided into 13 wards. William Scholefield became the first mayor and William Redfern was appointed as town clerk. Birmingham Town Police were established the following year.

Birmingham's tradition of innovation continued into the 19th century. Birmingham was the terminus for both of the world's first two long-distance railway lines: the 82-mile Grand Junction Railway of 1837 and the 112-mile London and Birmingham Railway of 1838. Birmingham schoolteacher Rowland Hill invented the postage stamp and created the first modern universal postal system in 1839. Alexander Parkes invented the first human-made plastic in the Jewellery Quarter in 1855.

By the 1820s, the country's extensive canal system had been constructed, giving greater access to natural resources and fuel for industries. 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. Birmingham was granted city status in 1889 by Queen Victoria. Joseph Chamberlain, mayor of Birmingham and later an MP, and his son Neville Chamberlain, who was Lord Mayor of Birmingham and later the British Prime Minister, are two of the most well-known political figures who have lived in Birmingham. The city established its own university in 1900.

20th century and contemporary

The city suffered heavy bomb damage during World War II's "Birmingham Blitz". The city was also the scene of two scientific discoveries that were to prove critical to the outcome of the war. Otto Frisch and Rudolf Peierls first described how a practical nuclear weapon could be constructed in the Frisch–Peierls memorandum of 1940, the same year that the cavity magnetron, the key component of radar and later of microwave ovens, was invented by John Randall and Harry Boot. Details of these two discoveries, together with an outline of the first jet engine invented by Frank Whittle in nearby Rugby, were taken to the United States by the Tizard Mission in September 1940, in a single black box later described by an official American historian as "the most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores".

The city was extensively redeveloped during the 1950s and 1960s. This included the construction of large tower block estates, such as Castle Vale. The Bull Ring was reconstructed and New Street station was redeveloped. In the decades following World War II, the ethnic makeup of Birmingham changed significantly, as it received waves of immigration from the Commonwealth of Nations and beyond. The city's population peaked in 1951 at 1,113,000 residents.

Birmingham remained by far Britain's most prosperous provincial city as late as the 1970s, but its economic diversity and capacity for regeneration declined in the decades that followed World War II as Central Government sought to restrict the city's growth and disperse industry and population to the stagnating areas of Wales and Northern England. These measures hindered "the natural self-regeneration of businesses in Birmingham, leaving it top-heavy with the old and infirm", and the city became increasingly dependent on the motor industry. The recession of the early 1980s saw Birmingham's economy collapse, with unprecedented levels of unemployment and outbreaks of social unrest in inner-city districts.

Since the turn of the 21st century, many parts of Birmingham have been transformed, with the redevelopment of the Bullring Shopping Centre, the construction of the new Library of Birmingham (the largest public library in Europe) and the completed regeneration of old industrial areas such as Brindleyplace, The Mailbox and the International Convention Centre, ongoing rebuilding of Eastside, Digbeth, and Centenary Square, as well as the rationalisation of the Inner Ring Road. In 1998 Birmingham hosted the 24th G8 summit. The city successfully hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

On 5 September 2023, Birmingham city council issued a Section 114 notice to say that it could not meet its financial commitments after an equal pay lawsuit. Effectively this meant the council was bankrupt. Major contributing factors include a £1.1 billion sum that has been paid out since 2010 for equal pay claims, an ongoing bill for £760 million, increasing by £14 million a month, and problems with a new IT system that was projected to cost £19 million, but is now closer to £100 million. There is a projected £87 million deficit for the financial year 2023/2024.

Government

Main article: Government of Birmingham

Birmingham is managed by the Birmingham City Council, which has 104 councillors representing 69 different areas of the city. The council is led by John Cotton and has been controlled by the Labour Party since 2012.

Birmingham has ten areas that send representatives to the UK Parliament, called parliamentary constituencies. These representatives are known as MPs and include one from the Conservative Party, one independent, and eight from the Labour Party.

Originally part of Warwickshire, Birmingham grew in the late 1800s and early 1900s by taking in parts of Worcestershire and Staffordshire. In 1974, it absorbed Sutton Coldfield and became part of the new West Midlands county, which also includes cities like Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. In 2016, the West Midlands Combined Authority was formed to handle important decisions about transport, planning, and economic growth, led by a directly elected mayor, currently Richard Parker from the Labour Party.

Geography

Further information: List of areas of Birmingham

Birmingham is found in the middle of the West Midlands region of England. It sits on high ground called the Birmingham Plateau, which ranges between 500 and 1,000 feet above sea level. The city is crossed by Britain’s main north–south water divide between the Rivers Severn and Trent. To the southwest are the Lickey Hills, Clent Hills, and Walton Hill, which reach 1,033 feet and offer great views of the city. Birmingham is drained by small rivers and brooks, mainly the River Tame and its tributaries the Cole and the Rea. The city is far from the sea, with its nearest body of water being at Liverpool Bay. It shares the same latitude as Lowestoft, Britain’s easternmost town, making it closer to the western coast of Wales at Cardigan Bay.

The City of Birmingham joins with the borough of Solihull to the southeast and the city of Wolverhampton and the industrial towns of the Black Country to the northwest. Together, they form the West Midlands Built-up Area covering 59,972 hectares (600 km²; 232 sq mi). Around this is Birmingham’s metropolitan area, linked closely through travel. It includes towns like Tamworth and Cannock to the north; the city of Coventry and towns such as Nuneaton, Warwick and Leamington Spa to the east; and Worcestershire towns like Redditch, Kidderminster and Bromsgrove to the southwest.

From one place to another, Birmingham is about 100 miles northwest of London, 85 miles northeast of Cardiff, 45 miles southwest of Nottingham, 70 miles south of Manchester, and 75 miles north-northeast of Bristol.

Much of the area now covered by the city was once part of the ancient Forest of Arden. The city still has many oak trees in places like Moseley, Saltley, Yardley, Stirchley and Hockley. These places have names ending in “-ley”, which comes from an old English word meaning “woodland clearing”.

Geology

Birmingham is shaped by the Birmingham Fault, which runs diagonally through the city from the Lickey Hills in the southwest, through Edgbaston and the Bull Ring, to Erdington and Sutton Coldfield in the northeast. South and east of the fault, the ground is softer Mercia Mudstone mixed with layers of Bunter pebbles. North and west of the fault, between 150 and 600 feet higher, lies a ridge of harder Keuper Sandstone. The bedrock was mostly formed during the Permian and Triassic periods.

The area shows signs of glacial deposits, with interesting erratic boulders that attracted tourists in the early 1900s.

Climate

Birmingham has a temperate maritime climate, like much of the British Isles. Summer temperatures (July) average about 21.3 °C (70.3 °F), while winter temperatures (January) average about 6.7 °C (44.1 °F). The warmest day usually reaches 28.8 °C (83.8 °F), and the coldest night drops to about −9.0 °C (15.8 °F). About 11 days each year reach 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or above, and around 52 nights have frost. The highest temperature ever recorded was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F) on 19 July 2022.

Like other big cities, Birmingham has an urban heat island effect. During very cold weather, temperatures can differ between the city centre and outskirts. The city gets snow more often than other large UK cities because it is inland and at a higher elevation. Between 1961 and 1990, Birmingham Airport saw snow lying on the ground an average of 13 days each year.

Environment

Further information: Parks and open spaces in Birmingham and West Midlands Green Belt

Birmingham has 571 parks — more than any other European city — covering over 3,500 hectares (14 sq mi) of public open space. The city has over six million trees and 250 miles (400 kilometres) of urban brooks and streams. Sutton Park, covering 2,400 acres (971 ha) in the north, is the largest urban park in Europe and a national nature reserve. Birmingham Botanical Gardens near the city centre keep the style of designs from 1829, while the Winterbourne Botanic Garden in Edgbaston shows tastes from a later time.

Several green spaces are part of the West Midlands Green Belt, a plan to stop cities from spreading out and protect open land. These include Sutton Park, areas along the borough boundary near Sutton Coldfield, Walmley and Minworth, Kingfisher, Sheldon, Woodgate Valley country parks, lands near the Wake Green football club, Bartley and Frankley reservoirs, and Handsworth cemetery with nearby golf courses.

Birmingham has many wildlife areas in parks and informal settings such as the Project Kingfisher and Woodgate Valley Country Park, as well as in parks like Lickey Hills Country Park, Pype Hayes Park & Newhall Valley, Handsworth Park, Kings Heath Park, and Cannon Hill Park, which also has the mini zoo, Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Birmingham

In 2021, about 1.1 million people lived in Birmingham, which is the second largest city in the United Kingdom. The city has many people from different backgrounds, with about 27% born outside the UK. Birmingham’s area includes several nearby towns and cities, such as Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall.

Ethnic groups

In 2021, the people of Birmingham came from many different ethnic groups. About 49% were White, 31% were Asian, 11% were Black, 5% were of mixed backgrounds, 2% were Arab, and 5% were from other groups. Many people in Birmingham have family roots in places like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Jamaica.

Age structure and median age

Birmingham has many young people. About 41% of the city’s residents are under 25 years old, making it one of the youngest cities in Europe. The average age in Birmingham is 34, which is younger than the national average.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Birmingham

Birmingham has a rich mix of religions. In 2021, about 34% of people said they were Christian, 30% said they were followers of Islam, and 24% said they had no religion. Other groups include Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jews. The city has many important religious buildings, including churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Birmingham

Birmingham became well-known for making and building things. Today, most jobs in Birmingham are in services like public administration, education, and health. It is also a big place for financial and business services outside of London.

Birmingham used to be famous for making guns, and some parts of the city still make guns for the military and sports. The city has many big companies, and it is a major place for conferences and exhibitions in the UK. Manufacturing is still important, especially in making cars, chocolate, and jewellery. Birmingham works hard to grow its economy and improve living conditions for its people.

Culture

Music

See also: Classical music of Birmingham, Jazz of Birmingham, and Popular music of Birmingham

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra plays at Symphony Hall. Other important groups include the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and Ex Cathedra, a Baroque choir and orchestra. The Orchestra of the Swan performs at Birmingham Town Hall, where the City Organist has given weekly recitals since 1834.

The Birmingham Triennial Music Festivals happened from 1784 to 1912. Famous composers like Mendelssohn, Gounod, Sullivan, Dvořák, Bantock, and Edward Elgar worked in Birmingham. Elgar wrote four famous choral pieces here, and his piece The Dream of Gerontius had its first performance in 1900. Composers born in the city include Albert William Ketèlbey and Andrew Glover.

Jazz became popular in Birmingham in the 1920s, with many festivals like the Harmonic Festival, the Mostly Jazz Festival, and the annual International Jazz Festival.

Birmingham has many music venues, including Arena Birmingham (formerly known as the National Indoor Arena and the Barclaycard Arena), opened in 1991; O2 Academy on Bristol Street, opened in September 2009; the CBSO Centre, opened in 1997; HMV Institute in Digbeth; and the Bradshaw Hall at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

In the 1960s, Birmingham had a lively music scene like Liverpool. Groups such as The Move, The Spencer Davis Group, The Moody Blues, Traffic, and the Electric Light Orchestra became famous. The city was important for early heavy metal music, with bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and part of Led Zeppelin coming from here.

Later, bands like Napalm Death and Godflesh, Benediction, and Anaal Nathrakh emerged. The funeral doom band Esoteric has been active since 1992. Birmingham was where modern bhangra began in the 1960s and became a global center by the 1980s. The 1970s saw the rise of reggae and ska with bands like Steel Pulse, UB40, Musical Youth, The Beat, and Beshara.

Other famous bands from Birmingham include Duran Duran, Johnny Foreigner, Fine Young Cannibals, Felt, Broadcast, Ocean Colour Scene, The Streets, The Twang, King Adora, Dexys Midnight Runners, and Magnum. Musicians like Jeff Lynne, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, GBH, John Lodge, Roy Wood, Joan Armatrading, Toyah Willcox, Denny Laine, Sukshinder Shinda, Apache Indian, Steve Winwood, Jamelia, Oceans Ate Alaska, Fyfe Dangerfield, and Laura Mvula grew up in the city.

Performing arts

Birmingham Repertory Theatre is Britain's oldest producing theatre, with three auditoriums on Centenary Square and tours nationwide and internationally. Other theatres include the Blue Orange Theatre in the Jewellery Quarter; the Old Rep, home of the Birmingham Stage Company; and @ A. E. Harris, where the experimental Stan's Cafe is located. Touring theatre companies include the Banner Theatre, the Maverick Theatre Company, and Kindle Theatre. The Alexandra Theatre and the Birmingham Hippodrome host large-scale shows, while professional drama happens in many venues across the city, including the Crescent Theatre, the Custard Factory, the Old Joint Stock Theatre, the Drum in Aston, and mac in Cannon Hill Park.

The Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the UK's major ballet companies, based at the Birmingham Hippodrome and touring widely. Its school, Elmhurst School for Dance in Edgbaston, is the oldest vocational dance school in the country.

The Birmingham Opera Company is known for its modern productions in factories, old buildings, and other unique spaces around the city. Traditional seasons by Welsh National Opera and other companies happen regularly at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The first comedy club outside London, The Glee Club, opened in The Arcadian Centre in 1994 and still hosts top acts.

In the 1920s, Oscar Deutsch opened the first Odeon cinema in the UK in Perry Barr. By 1930, Odeon was well-known and still exists today. The Electric on Station Street, opened in 1909, is the oldest working independent cinema in the UK. The Birmingham Film Society began in 1931, with its first screening on January 18, 1931, at the Hampton Cinema in Livery Street. The largest cinema screen in the West Midlands was at Millennium Point in Birmingham's Eastside, opening in September 2001 as an IMAX screen. It closed in September 2011 and was replaced by a Giant Screen Cinema, which closed in January 2015.

The main film festival is the Birmingham Film Festival, started in 2015 by filmmaker Kevin McDonagh and actor Dean Williams. Patrons include Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and advertising executive Trevor Beattie. Judges have included actress Kia Pegg and filmmakers Michael B. Clifford and Joanna Quinn.

Screen West Midlands, the regional screen agency, is in the Jewellery Quarter. Film Birmingham, the Birmingham City Council's film office, handles filming requests.

Literature

Main article: Literature of Birmingham

Writers linked to Birmingham include Samuel Johnson, who was born near Lichfield. Arthur Conan Doyle worked in Aston, and poet Louis MacNeice lived in Birmingham for six years. American author Washington Irving wrote famous works like Bracebridge Hall, The Humorists, A Medley, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Rip Van Winkle while in Birmingham.

Poet W. H. Auden grew up in Harborne and was part of the Auden Group with Louis MacNeice at Birmingham University. Other poets include Roi Kwabena, the city's sixth poet laureate, and Benjamin Zephaniah, born in the city.

Author J. R. R. Tolkien grew up in Kings Heath and called Birmingham his home town. The 'Tolkien Trail' visits places that inspired his works.

Playwright David Edgar was born in Birmingham, and science fiction writer John Wyndham spent his early childhood in Edgbaston.

Birmingham has a lively literary scene today, with authors like David Lodge, Jim Crace, Jonathan Coe, Joel Lane, and Judith Cutler. The main publisher is the Tindal Street Press, with authors such as prize-winning novelists Catherine O'Flynn, Clare Morrall, and Austin Clarke.

Art and design

Main article: Art of Birmingham

The Birmingham School of landscape artists began with Daniel Bond in the 1760s and lasted into the mid-19th century. Its most important figure was David Cox, whose later works were early forms of impressionism. The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists and the Birmingham School of Art made Birmingham a key center for Victorian art, especially in the Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movements. Important artists included Pre-Raphaelite and symbolist Edward Burne-Jones, Walter Langley from the Newlyn School, and Joseph Southall from the Birmingham Group.

The Birmingham Surrealists were early surrealism supporters in Britain in the 1930s and active in the 1940s. Abstract artists included David Bomberg and William Gear. Post-war artists from Birmingham include Peter Phillips, a key figure in Pop Art; John Salt, a pioneer of photo-realism; and the BLK Art Group, exploring Black British identity. Contemporary artists include Turner Prize winner Gillian Wearing and shortlisted artists Richard Billingham, John Walker, Roger Hiorns, and conceptual artist Pogus Caesar, whose work is in major galleries.

Birmingham's manufacturing history supports strong traditions in graphic design and product design. Famous designs include the Baskerville font, Ruskin Pottery, the Acme Thunderer whistle, Art Deco Odeon Cinemas branding, and the Mini.

Museums and galleries

Birmingham has two major public art collections. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is known for its Pre-Raphaelite works and has important collections of old masters, Italian Baroque painting, and English watercolours. It also has Europe's best collections of ceramics and fine metalwork. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Edgbaston is one of the world's finest small galleries, with art from the 13th century to today.

Birmingham Museums Trust runs museums like Aston Hall, Blakesley Hall, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Soho House, and Sarehole Mill. The Birmingham Back to Backs are the last surviving back-to-back houses. Cadbury World shows chocolate making and history of chocolate. The Ikon Gallery and Eastside Projects show contemporary art.

Thinktank is Birmingham's main science museum, with a giant screen, a planetarium, and the Smethwick Engine, the world's oldest working steam engine. Other science museums include the National Sea Life Centre in Brindleyplace, the Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham, and the Centre of the Earth environmental center in Winson Green.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Birmingham is mainly around Broad Street and Brindleyplace. Recently, Broad Street has lost some popularity, but the Arcadian is now more popular. Other areas have stylish and underground venues. The Medicine Bar in the Custard Factory, hmv Institute, Rainbow Pub, and Air are large clubs and bars in Digbeth. Around Birmingham Chinatown are areas like the Arcadian and Hurst Street Gay Village, full of bars and clubs. Summer Row, The Mailbox, O2 Academy in Bristol Street, Snobs Nightclub, St Philips/Colmore Row, St Paul's Square, and the Jewellery Quarter all have lively nights. There are late-night pubs in the Irish Quarter. Outside the city center is Star City entertainment complex on the old Nechells Power Station site.

Festivals

Birmingham hosts many national, religious, and cultural festivals, including a St. George's Day party. The biggest single-day event is the St. Patrick's Day parade, Europe's second largest after Dublin. The Nowka Bais is a Bengali boat racing festival held yearly in Birmingham. It's a major cultural event in the West Midlands, attracting the Bangladeshi diaspora and many others. It's the largest boat race in the UK. Other events include the Bangla Mela and the Vaisakhi Mela. The Birmingham Heritage Festival is a Mardi Gras-style event in August. Caribbean and African culture are celebrated with parades and street performances. The Caribbean-style Birmingham International Carnival happens in odd-numbered years.

From 1997 to December 2006, the city had an annual arts festival, ArtsFest, the largest free arts festival in the UK at the time.

The UK's largest two-day Gay Pride is Birmingham Pride (LGBT festival), usually in May spring bank holiday weekend. The streets of Birmingham's gay district come alive with a carnival parade, live music, a dance area, cabaret, a women's area, and a community village. Also, Queens Heath Pride is held yearly, usually in late June to early July, organized by local comedian Joe Lycett with support from local businesses and the community. It has stalls, events, and is free to enter, taking place on York Road and Heathfield Road in Kings Heath. It doesn't charge entry, but stalls sell souvenirs, clothes, food, and drinks.

The Birmingham Tattoo is a long-standing military show at the National Indoor Arena. The Birmingham Comedy Festival (since 2001; 10 days in October) has featured acts like Peter Kay, The Fast Show, Jimmy Carr, Lee Evans, and Lenny Henry. Since 2001, Birmingham has hosted the Frankfurt Christmas Market. Based on the German market, it's grown to be the UK's largest outdoor Christmas market, the largest German market outside Germany and Austria, welcoming over 3.1 million visitors in 2010 and over 5 million in 2011.

The biennial Birmingham International Dance Festival (BIDF) started in 2008, organized by DanceXchange, with venues across the city. Other festivals include the Birmingham International Jazz Festival, Moseley Folk and Arts Festival, and Mostly Jazz Festival.

Cuisine

Main article: Food and drink in Birmingham

Birmingham grew as a commercial town based on its market for farm products, established by royal charter in 1166. Even after industrialization, this role continued, and the Birmingham Wholesale Markets are the largest combined wholesale food markets in the country, selling meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and flowers, supplying fresh produce to shops and restaurants up to 100 miles (161 km) away.

Birmingham is the only city outside London with five Michelin-starred restaurants: Simpson's in Edgbaston, Carters of Moseley, and Purnell's, Opheem, and Adam's in the city center.

Birmingham based breweries included Ansells, Davenport's, and Mitchells & Butlers. Aston Manor Brewery is currently the only large brewery. Many beautiful Victorian pubs and bars remain across the city, along with many modern nightclubs and bars, especially along Broad Street.

The Wing Yip food company started in the city and now has its headquarters in Nechells. The Balti, a type of curry, was invented in the city, earning fame for the 'Balti Belt' or 'Balti Triangle'. Famous food brands from Birmingham include Typhoo tea, Bird's Custard, Cadbury's chocolate, and HP Sauce. Birmingham also has a strong independent and artisan food scene, with microbreweries like Two Towers and bakeries like Loaf. These businesses are often featured at farmers markets, popular street food events, and food festivals like the Birmingham Independent Food Fair.

Entertainment and leisure

Birmingham has many entertainment and leisure spots, including Europe's largest leisure and entertainment complex Star City and Europe's first out-of-city-centre entertainment complex Resorts World Birmingham owned by the Genting Group. The Mailbox serves more upscale clients in the city.

Architecture

Further information: Architecture of Birmingham; List of tallest buildings and structures in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area, West Midlands; and Listed buildings in Birmingham

Birmingham mainly grew during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, starting with the Industrial Revolution. Few older buildings remain, but those that do are protected. There are 1,946 listed buildings in Birmingham and thirteen scheduled monuments. Birmingham City Council also lists buildings that don't meet the official criteria.

Traces of old Birmingham can be seen in the oldest churches, like the original parish church, St Martin in the Bull Ring. A few buildings from the medieval and Tudor periods survive, such as the Lad in the Lane, The Old Crown, the 15th century Saracen's Head pub, Old Grammar School in Kings Norton, and Blakesley Hall.

Many Georgian buildings remain, including St Philip's Cathedral, Soho House, Perrott's Folly, the Town Hall, and much of St Paul's Square. The Victorian era brought many new buildings, like the Victoria Law Courts in red brick and terracotta, the Council House, and the Museum & Art Gallery. St Chad's Cathedral was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the UK after the Reformation. The need to house workers led to miles of redbrick houses and terraces, including many back-to-back houses, some later becoming inner-city slums.

Postwar redevelopment and a dislike for Victorian style led to the loss of many Victorian buildings like New Street station and the old Central Library, often replaced by brutalist architecture. Sir Herbert Manzoni, City Engineer from 1935 to 1963, thought saving old buildings was sentimental and that Birmingham had none worth keeping. In inner cities, many Victorian houses were torn down and redeveloped. Communities moved to tower block estates like Castle Vale.

In response, Birmingham City Council is tearing down some brutalist buildings like the Central Library and has a big tower block demolition and renovation plan. Recent years have seen much redevelopment in the city center, including the award-winning Future Systems Selfridges building in the Bullring Shopping Centre, the Brindleyplace renewal project, the Millennium Point science and technology center, and the refurbished Rotunda building. Many projects are funded by the European Union; for example, the Town Hall got £3 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

Highrise building has slowed since the 1970s, mostly in recent years due to rules from the Civil Aviation Authority about building heights to avoid problems for planes at the airport (e.g. Beetham Tower).

Demonymy and identity

People from Birmingham are called Brummies, from the city's nickname "Brum", which comes from its old name, Brummagem. The Brummie accent and dialect are very distinctive.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Birmingham

Birmingham is an important place for travel because of its central location. It has many roads, railways, and canals that help people move around.

Roads

The city has several major roads called motorways, like the M5, M6, M40, and M42. One famous junction is called Spaghetti Junction, known for its many connecting roads. The M6 motorway passes through the city on a very long bridge called the Bromford Viaduct. There is also a ring road around the city called The Middleway.

Air

Birmingham Airport is a busy airport just outside the city. It is used by many people to fly to places in Europe, Africa, the Americas, and more. Several airlines use this airport as a base.

Public transport

Birmingham has many buses, trains, and trams to help people travel. In fact, more than half of the trips into the city are made using public transport! The most popular way to travel is by bus, followed by train.

Railway

The main train station is Birmingham New Street, which is very busy. Trains come here from all over the UK. There are many smaller train stations around the city too.

Tram

Birmingham used to have trams many years ago, but they stopped running in 1953. Trams came back in 1999, and now they run through the city center again. More trams are being built to reach other places.

Bus and coach

There are many bus routes all over the city. One special bus route, the number 11 Outer Circle, is the longest in Europe! It goes around the outside of the city.

Cycling

There are special paths for bikes in Birmingham. A big bike hire scheme was started in 2021, with many bikes and places to leave them.

Canals

Birmingham has many old canals from when factories were common. Today, these canals are mostly used for fun and attracting visitors.

Education

Main article: Education in Birmingham

Birmingham is a very important place for learning. It has five universities, including Aston University, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, University College Birmingham and Newman University. Many students from around the world study there. The city also has campuses for the University of Law, BPP University, and the Open University.

Birmingham has many colleges too. Birmingham Metropolitan College is one of the largest, with many places to learn across the city. There are also special colleges like Queen Alexandra College for students who have difficulty seeing or who have other challenges. Some of the oldest schools in the city, like King Edward's School, Birmingham, have been teaching students for hundreds of years.

The city has many places for students of all ages to learn, from nursery schools to adult education classes.

Public services

Library services

See also: List of libraries in Birmingham, West Midlands

The old Birmingham Central Library opened in 1972 and was once the biggest city library in Europe. A new Library of Birmingham opened in Centenary Square in 2013. It is the largest public library in the United Kingdom and welcomes many visitors each year.

Emergency services

Law enforcement is handled by West Midlands Police, and emergency medical care is provided by West Midlands Ambulance Service. Fire services are managed by West Midlands Fire Service.

Healthcare

See also: Healthcare in West Midlands

Birmingham has several important hospitals, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the United Kingdom. There are also many other hospitals, such as Birmingham Children's Hospital and Birmingham Women's Hospital, that provide special care for different needs.

Water supply

The city’s water used to be managed by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department, but now Severn Trent Water takes care of it. Most of the water comes from the Elan aqueduct, which sends water to reservoirs near the city.

Energy from waste

The Tyseley Energy from Waste Plant burns household waste to create electricity for the National Grid.

Sport

Main article: Sport in Birmingham

Birmingham has been very important in the history of sports. The world’s first league football competition, the Football League, was started by a Birmingham resident, William McGregor, in 1888. The modern game of tennis was developed in Birmingham between 1859 and 1865. The city also hosted the first ever Women's Cricket World Cup in 1973 and was the first to be named National City of Sport.

Today, Birmingham is home to two famous football teams: Aston Villa F.C., founded in 1874, and Birmingham City F.C., founded in 1875. The city also has teams for other sports such as cricket, rugby, and golf. Two major championship golf courses are located near the city.

Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games from 28 July to 8 August 2022. This was the first time Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth Games. The event helped the UK economy by £1.2 billion.

Media

Main article: Media in Birmingham

Birmingham is an important place for media, with many news and magazine publishers, radio and television stations, and film studios. The city has several well-known newspapers like the Birmingham Mail and the Birmingham Post. It is also home to many radio stations and television studios.

Birmingham has a rich history in film, with many movies being made there. The BBC has important studios in the city, producing many television shows and radio programmes. The city is also a base for many different types of media, including digital news and community radio stations.

Notable people

Main listing: List of people from Birmingham

Birmingham has been home to many famous people throughout history. These individuals have come from all walks of life and have made their mark in various fields. For a full list of notable people from Birmingham, you can visit the list provided above.

International relations

Birmingham has strong connections with many cities around the world. It is officially linked, or "twinned," with several cities including Lyon in France, Frankfurt am Main in Germany, and Chicago in the United States. These partnerships began at different times, starting from 1951.

The city also has friendly ties with places like Changchun in China and Mirpur in Pakistan. These relationships help bring people from different parts of the world together.