St Thomas' Peace Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Thomas' Peace Garden |
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The remains of St. Thomas' Church
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| Location | Birmingham, England |
| Created | 1995 |
| Operated by | Birmingham City Council |
The St Thomas' Peace Garden (also known as the Peace Gardens) is a small public park in Birmingham, England. It was created as a special place to remember peace and honor everyone who has died in wars.
The Peace Gardens were built around the tower and front entrances of St Thomas's Church. This church was badly damaged during the Birmingham Blitz in 1940 and was never fully rebuilt. The park area was first set up in 1955 to celebrate the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II. It was then redesigned in 1995 to mark 50 years since World War II ended. In 1998, when world leaders met in Birmingham for the G8 summit, each leader planted a tree in the garden. These trees represent their home countries.
Contents
The Story of St. Thomas' Church
St. Thomas' Church has a long history. After Britain won the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the government decided to build new churches. This was a way to say thank you after the war. These churches were called 'Waterloo Churches'.
Building the Church
Two of these churches in Birmingham were designed by Thomas Rickman. He was a famous architect. St. Thomas' Church was one of them. It was built in a neo-classical style. This means it looked like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. People at the time said it was "simple and fitting" for a church.
The first stone of St. Thomas' Church was laid on October 22, 1826. The church was finished and opened three years later, on October 22, 1829.
The Birmingham Blitz and the Church
During World War II, many cities in Britain were bombed by German planes. This was called the Birmingham Blitz. On the night of December 11, 1940, St. Thomas' Church was hit. Most of the church was destroyed, except for its tall tower and the front entrance. The church was never rebuilt after this attack.
In 1953, the church grounds were made into a park for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The old gravestones were moved, and the people buried there were reburied in Warstone Lane Cemetery.
The Peace Gardens Today
The gardens were redesigned in 1995. This was to remember the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. A special memorial from World War I was also moved here. This memorial was part of the Hall of Memory. It was moved when Centenary Square was built in 1989.
New railings were added to the Peace Garden. These railings have sculptures of doves, which are symbols of peace. These doves were made by an artist named Anuradha Patel.
Inside the Peace Garden, there is also a memorial for British soldiers. These soldiers were hurt or died because of nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific Ocean.
Trees of Peace
When the world leaders came to Birmingham for the G8 summit in 1998, they each planted a tree in the Peace Garden. Each leader chose a tree that represented their country. These trees are now a living symbol of peace for everyone to see.
The spire (the pointy top) of St. Thomas' Church needs a lot of repair work. Its stone is wearing away. The golden ball and cross that used to be at the very top fell off years ago.
St. Thomas' Peace Garden is at the center of a square. This area is surrounded by parts of Washington and Granville Streets, Bath Row, and Ridley Street. The area around the garden is being improved with new apartments and offices.
Images for kids
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The remains of St. Thomas' Church
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The remaining tower as part of the Peace Garden
