Victoria Square, Birmingham facts for kids
View of the square in 2009
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| Former name(s) | Council House Square |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Queen Victoria |
| Maintained by | Birmingham City Council |
| Location | Birmingham, England |
| Postal code | B1 |
| Coordinates | 52°28′44″N 1°54′10″W / 52.4790°N 1.9028°W |
| North | Colmore Row |
| East | New Street |
| South | Hill Street |
| West | Paradise Street |
Victoria Square is a public space in Birmingham, England. It's a place where people can walk freely, without cars. You'll find important buildings here like the Town Hall and the Council House. It's named after Queen Victoria.
Many people think Victoria Square is the very centre of Birmingham. It's even the spot from where distances on road signs are measured! The square is close to St. Philip's Cathedral. It's also on a main walking path between the Bull Ring and Brindleyplace areas. Several important roads meet here, including Colmore Row, New Street, and Paradise Street.
History of Victoria Square
Victoria Square was once called Council House Square. Back then, it even had a tram line running through it. The square was renamed on January 10, 1901, to honor Queen Victoria. She passed away just 12 days later.
A beautiful marble statue of Queen Victoria was put up in the square. Henry Barber donated it, and Thomas Brock sculpted it. Later, this statue was remade in bronze.
Part of the square used to be home to Christ Church. This church was built between 1805 and 1813. However, it was taken down in 1899. Some parts of the church, like its font and bell, were moved to a new church called St Agatha's in Sparkbrook. The money from selling the old church's land helped build St Agatha's.
About 600 bodies, including that of John Baskerville, were buried under Christ Church. These were moved to Warstone Lane Cemetery. The church's old site then became an office and shop building. This building was also taken down in 1970 and replaced with a grassy slope.
In the 1950s, there were plans to make Colmore Row wider. It was going to be part of a big new road system for Birmingham. This would have created a major road junction right at Victoria Square. Luckily, these specific plans for the square were not carried out.
Making Victoria Square a Public Space
In the late 1900s, Victoria Square was a very busy road junction. City planners wanted to change it into a place just for people, without cars. They wanted it to be a main meeting point for everyone.
To do this, an international competition was held. Designers were asked to create a central water feature for the square. Dhruva Mistry won this competition. Building work started in 1992 and finished in 1994. Diana, Princess of Wales officially opened the newly designed square.
During this makeover, a sculpture called Iron: Man was also put in place. It was created by Antony Gormley and unveiled in 1993. A special plaque on the square remembers its opening.
In June 2018, workers were extending the West Midlands Metro tram line through the square. During this work, they found an old cobbled street buried beneath the surface!
Artworks in Victoria Square
The largest artwork in the square is Mistry's fountain, called The River. People often call it The Floozie in the Jacuzzi. For a while, the fountain was turned off to save money because it had leaks. From 2015 to 2022, it was filled with plants and flowers instead of water. But in 2022, it was fixed and started working again for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Besides the fountain, there are other artworks that were not part of the 1992 redesign. One of these is Antony Gormley's Iron: Man. This statue was given to the city in March 1993. It stands about 6 meters (20 feet) tall. People have had different opinions about it.
There are also statues that were in the square before its big redesign. Only one of the original two statues remains today. This is the statue of Queen Victoria. It was first made in 1901 by Thomas Brock. But it was remade in bronze by William Bloye in 1951. The queen's sceptre (a royal staff) was missing for many years. It was replaced in 2011 thanks to help from the Victorian Society.
Other statues that used to be in Victoria Square have been moved. A statue of King Edward VII was moved to Highgate Park in 1951. After being restored, it was put up again outside Baskerville House in Centenary Square in 2010. Statues of Robert Peel and Joseph Priestley were also moved to other locations.
Buildings Around Victoria Square
Many important buildings surround Victoria Square. On the west side, you'll find the Town Hall. The Council House is on the north side. On the east is 130 Colmore Row, and on the south is Victoria Square House.
Events in Victoria Square
Every Christmas, Victoria Square becomes the main spot for the Frankfurt Christmas Market. This market also spreads into New Street. The city's official Christmas tree, given each year by Sandvik, also stands in the square. The market has wooden huts that sell things like jewelry, art, ornaments, clothes, and German food.
The Birmingham Big Screen is currently in the square. It was moved there from Chamberlain Square. For a while, after it was put up in 2007, it wasn't used because of a disagreement about its planning. This 27-foot wide screen cost about £1 million. However, by April 2012, the screen was working.
On July 12, 2012, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited Victoria Square. This was part of their tour for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. They walked around the square and received a gift from the city of Birmingham.
Victoria Square was also the finish line for the marathon events during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
See also
In Spanish: Victoria Square (Birmingham) para niños
