Iconic Birmingham landmarks: Why Brummies love Victoria Square

Welcome to the very heart of Birmingham, in fact any sign you see directing you to Birmingham around the UK in terms of miles leads you to exactly this point.

Home to the Town Hall and the council house, this public square was named in honour of Queen Victoria in 1901 just twelve days before she passed away. This is Victoria Square, the beating heart of the city and home to scores of major events through the years.

Originally on the site stood buildings. In the late 1800s Christ Church occupied the site before its demolition at the turn of the century. The font, bell and foundation stone can still be seen at St Agatha’s in Sparkbrook to this day. The site since then was home to office and retail buildings.

It was during the late 20th century that redevelopment began, creating the open public space you see now. Dhruva Mistry was commissioned to design the central water feature The River, which includes the iconic statue known colloquially as the Floozie in the Jacuzzi.

The Goddess is a female figure meant to represent the life force, weighing in at 1.75 tonnes. Sat atop one of Europe’s largest fountains - with a flow of 3,000 gallons per minute - the feature is an undeniable modern icon of Birmingham. Construction finished in 1994 and was officially opened by Princess Diana.

Many events and exhibitions are hosted here in Victoria Square. These past twelve months have seen it put to use like never before. Perhaps most notably would be during the Commonwealth Games where it hosted the main festival site.

Countless performances took place here, showcasing the best of what Birmingham has to offer, as the city gave its warmest welcome to those who came here from across the world, watching the games together on the big screen. More recently saw Polinations, the striking urban oasis featuring over 5000 living plants.

However, perhaps what really makes this area so iconic is the Christmas market which comes every year in mid-November. The largest authentic German market outside of Germany and Austria, the event which began in 2001 attracts millions of visitors every year. And this year sees its return on the 3rd November.

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