Birmingham Victoria Square — the undeniable heart of Birmingham, named in 1901 to commemorate Queen Victoria, surrounded on three sides by the city's most magnificent public buildings. The Roman Revival Town Hall, modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, impresses with its white Corinthian colonnade; the adjacent Council House, in Italian Renaissance style, exudes the wealth and confidence of Birmingham's industrial heyday. In the centre of the square, Dhruva Mistry's The River fountain — affectionately known by locals as "the Floozie in the Jacuzzi" — splashes with the vitality of life; in the northeast corner, Antony Gormley's Iron: Man, cast from 6 tons of pig iron, leans backwards gazing at this city once driven by steel. From the Frankfurt Christmas Market to summer open-air concerts, Victoria Square is Birmingham's most vibrant civic living room.
From neoclassical Town Hall to contemporary public art, stroll through Birmingham's heart and feel the vibrant pulse from the Industrial Revolution to the Christmas market
In the morning, walk 5 minutes from Birmingham New Street Station to Victoria Square. This pedestrian square, surrounded by the main thoroughfares of New Street, Paradise Street and Colmore Row, is Birmingham's acknowledged geographical and spiritual centre. First, pause to admire the Town Hall on the western side — a Roman Revival building completed in 1834, modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, its white Corinthian colonnade and symmetrical structure radiating civic pride; it remains an active concert venue where Dickens once read, and where The Beatles, Queen, Bob Dylan and David Bowie have all performed. The Council House to the north displays Italian Renaissance splendour, with honey-coloured stone walls, dome drum and intricate carving reflecting Birmingham's industrial wealth in 1879. In the centre of the square, The River fountain features a nude female figure surrounded by water, affectionately called "the Floozie in the Jacuzzi" by locals; in the northeast corner, Antony Gormley's Iron: Man is cast in coarse pig iron, its leaning body seeming to rise from the earth like an industrial ghost. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria stands at the square's core, overlooking the space named in her honour. If you happen to visit during the Christmas season, Europe's largest outdoor Christmas market — the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market — takes over the entire square, filling the air with the aroma of mulled wine and grilled sausages.
Housed in a magnificent 1862 building that was first a library, then a bank, now Birmingham's most beautiful British pub. The glass dome and opulent Victorian decoration are breathtaking, serving traditional English breakfasts, fish and chips and craft ales, with a 100-seat micro-theatre downstairs. Average £12-20 per person.
Right next to the Town Hall and Victoria Square, claiming Birmingham's "golden view" location. White ivory marble walls, hand-carved wooden trim and red-brown American leather sofas blend classical and industrial styles perfectly. Signature lobster burger, beef rib and macaroni cheese are unforgettable. Average £20-35 per person.
An elegant Indian restaurant on Broad Street, about an 8-minute walk from Victoria Square. The menu is more diverse than traditional Indian/Pakistani restaurants, with Garam Masala Crème Brûlée as the signature dessert, plus a stylish cocktail bar. Average £25 per person.
Located at 82-83 New Street right on Victoria Square, this California-style Mexican burrito specialist serves oversized burritos, tacos and nachos made fresh to order. Fresh ingredients at affordable prices, averaging £8-15 per person — the perfect quick refuel during a shopping stroll.