| Introduction | | | | the Chinese Quarter. In 1945, Abdul Aziz opened |
| Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in | | | | a cafe shop selling curry and rice in Steelhouse |
| the English West Midlands. It is commonly | | | | Lane. This later became The Darjeeling, the first |
| considered to be England's "second city" and is the | | | | Indian restaurant in Birmingham. The Balti was |
| largest of England's core cities. The city's | | | | invented in the city and has since received much |
| reputation was forged as the powerhouse of the | | | | gastronomic acclaim for the 'Balti Belt' of |
| Industrial Revolution in Britain, a fact which led to | | | | restaurants in the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and |
| Birmingham being known as "the workshop of the | | | | Ladywood areas. |
| world". To this day over a quarter of the UK's | | | | The BBC Good Food Show takes place at The |
| exports originate in the greater Birmingham area. | | | | National Exhibition Centre, and is Britain's biggest |
| History | | | | food event. |
| Birmingham has a recorded history going back | | | | Education |
| 1000 years. In this time, it has grown from a tiny | | | | Birmingham has three universities: the University |
| Anglo-Saxon farming village into a major industrial | | | | of Birmingham, Aston University and the |
| and commercial city. | | | | University of Central England (UCE). It also has |
| The Birmingham area was occupied in Roman | | | | two other higher education colleges (Newman |
| times, with several military roads and a large fort. | | | | College and the Birmingham College of Food, |
| Birmingham started life as a small Anglo-Saxon | | | | Tourism and Creative Studies). The Birmingham |
| hamlet in the Early Middle Ages. It was first | | | | Conservatoire and Birmingham School of Acting, |
| recorded in written documents by the Domesday | | | | both now part of UCE, offer higher education in |
| Book of 1086 as a small village, worth only 20 | | | | the arts. |
| shillings. In the 12th century, Birmingham was | | | | The city council is England's largest local education |
| granted a charter to hold a market. By the 16th | | | | authority, directly or indirectly responsible for 25 |
| century, Birmingham's access to supplies of iron | | | | nursery schools, 328 primary schools, 77 |
| ore and coal meant that metalworking industries | | | | secondary schools and 29 special schools. It also |
| became established. In the 17th century, | | | | runs the library service, with 4 million visitors |
| Birmingham became an important manufacturing | | | | annually, and provides around 4000 adult education |
| town with a reputation for producing small arms. | | | | courses throughout the year. |
| During the Industrial Revolution (from the mid | | | | Sports |
| 18th century onwards), Birmingham grew rapidly | | | | A cricket club was in existence in Birmingham as |
| into a major industrial centre. Unlike many other | | | | early as 1745, and today the city is home to |
| English industrial cities such as Manchester, industry | | | | Warwickshire County Cricket Club whose ground |
| in Birmingham was based upon small workshops | | | | at Edgbaston is also a venue for international test |
| rather than large factories or mills.the city | | | | matches. International athletics meetings take |
| expanded in the late 19th and early 20th century, | | | | place at the open-air Alexander Stadium in Perry |
| absorbing parts of Worcestershire to the south | | | | Barr, the home of Birchfield Harriers athletic club, |
| and Staffordshire to the west. The city absorbed | | | | which numbers many Olympic medallists among |
| Sutton Coldfield in 1974, and at the same time | | | | its past and present members. The National |
| became part of the new West Midlands County. | | | | Indoor Arena (NIA) meanwhile is a major indoor |
| Places of Interests | | | | athletics stadium and in 2003 hosted the 9th IAAF |
| The places of interests in Birmingham are as | | | | World Indoor Championships in Athletics. The NIA |
| follows: | | | | also hosts events in many other sports, such as |
| Aston Hall | | | | the World Indoor Badminton Championships. |
| Birmingham Botanical Gardens | | | | The city is home to two of the UK's oldest |
| Birmingham Zoo | | | | professional football teams: Aston Villa (1874) and |
| Blakesley Hall | | | | Birmingham City (1875), both of whom currently |
| Brindleyplace - Canalside development | | | | play in the Premier League. Birmingham also has a |
| Cannon Hill Park | | | | professional Rugby Union side, Moseley RFC, and |
| Cadbury World | | | | there is professional basketball, boxing, hockey, |
| Centenary Square | | | | skateboarding, and greyhound racing in the city. |
| Central Mosque | | | | Birmingham has been awarded the title National |
| Chamberlain Square featuring a BBC Big Screen | | | | City of Sport by the Sports Council. |
| Convention Quarter | | | | Tours and Sightseeing |
| Gun Quarter - Once the foremost gun | | | | There are a number of tour operators in |
| manufacturing community in the UK | | | | Birmingham. The tourist information center is also |
| Jewellery Quarter - The largest concentration of | | | | very helpful to find out a way to enjoy the visit |
| dedicated jewellers in Europe | | | | of Birmingham. |
| MAC | | | | Hotels and Accommodations |
| National Sealife Centre | | | | Birmingham hosts a number of hotels, B&B, |
| Sarehole Mill | | | | lodges in and around the city. They vary from |
| St Philip's Cathedral | | | | price and features: |
| Sutton Park | | | | City Inn Birmingham |
| Victoria Square | | | | Novotel Birmingham Centre |
| Museums and Art Galleries | | | | Jurys Inn Birmingham |
| In Birmingham one can find a number of | | | | RAMADA BIRMINGHAM (FORMERLEY DAYS |
| museums and art galleries. Some of the famous | | | | HOTEL) |
| museums and art galleries are: | | | | Hagley Court Hotel |
| Barber Institute of Fine Arts | | | | Birmingham Edgbaston |
| Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery | | | | Copthorne Hotel Birmingham |
| Birmingham Think tank - Science Museum | | | | Premier Apartments Birmingham |
| Birmingham Railway Museum Trust | | | | Apollo Hotel |
| Edgbaston Museum | | | | Macdonald Burlington Hotel |
| Lapworth Museum of Geology | | | | The Edgbaston Palace Hotel |
| Soho House Museum | | | | Britannia Hotel Birmingham |
| The Transport Museum, Wythall | | | | The Norfolk Hotel |
| Warwickshire County Cricket Club Museum | | | | Paragon Hotel |
| Birmingham has some theaters and groups, | | | | Thistle Birmingham City |
| following are the famous of all: | | | | Portland Hotel |
| Alexandra Theatre ("the Alex") | | | | Campanile Hotel - Birmingham |
| Birmingham Repertory Theatre ("The Rep") | | | | Days Inn Birmingham East |
| The Birmingham Hippodrome and the Old Rep | | | | Jonathans' Hotel and Restaurant |
| Shopping | | | | Best Western The Westley Hotel |
| The city has a world famous jewelry quarter. In | | | | Parkinn Birmingham/West Bromwich |
| addition to exploring the Jewelry Quarter, | | | | Bridge House Hotel |
| Birmingham is a great town for shopping. There | | | | Central Guest House |
| are more than 700 retail stores, and many people | | | | Express by Holiday Inn Birmingham Oldbury M5, |
| in the Midlands come here just to shop, especially | | | | Jct |
| along Cannon Street and New Street with its | | | | Birmingham Great Barr Hotel |
| recently opened top-brand designer stores. The | | | | Ramada Hotel & Resort Birmingham/Sutton |
| city's Mailbox complex at Wharfside Street was | | | | Coldfield |
| once used to sort the mail. But now it's becoming | | | | Express by Holiday Inn Birmingham Castle |
| a big shopping center, with department stores like | | | | Bromwich |
| Harvey Nichols moving in. In the heart of town, | | | | Corus hotel Birmingham South |
| The Bullring, near St. Martin's Square, is being | | | | Corus hotel Solihull |
| developed into Europe's largest city-center retail | | | | Ramada Solihull/Birmingham |
| area, based around the historic street patterns of | | | | Transport |
| the city and linking New Street and High Street. | | | | Due in part to its central location in England, |
| The reinvention of "Brum" (as Britain's | | | | Birmingham is a major transport hub on the |
| much-maligned second city is nicknamed) is | | | | motorway, rail, and canal networks. It is served |
| reflected by the opening of a grand department | | | | by a number of major roads, including the M5, M6, |
| store, Selfridges, Bullring Centre. As a fashion | | | | M6 Toll, M40, and M42 motorways. Local public |
| emporium, its architecture was appropriately | | | | transport is by bus, local train and tram. The |
| inspired by a dress. The curvaceous complex is | | | | number 11A and 11C outer circle bus routes are |
| adorned with 15,000 aluminum disks à la Paco | | | | the longest urban bus routes in Europe. The city's |
| Rabanne's 1960 chain-mail frocks. | | | | main station, Birmingham New Street, is at the |
| Food and Drink | | | | centre of the national rail network, whilst |
| Birmingham based Breweries included Ansells, | | | | Birmingham International railway station serves |
| Davenports and Mitchells & Butlers. Aston Manor | | | | Birmingham International Airport which has flights |
| Brewery is currently the only brewery of any | | | | to cities across Europe and several Asian and |
| significant size. Many fine Victorian pubs and bars | | | | North American destinations. |
| can still be found across the city. The oldest inn in | | | | Birmingham is also notable for its canal system; |
| Birmingham is the Old Crown in Deritend. The | | | | formerly the lifeblood of the city's industries, their |
| Anchor Inn (1797), is also nearby in Digbeth. | | | | use is now mainly for pleasure. There are 35 miles |
| Famous food brands from Birmingham include | | | | (60 km) of canals in the city, most remaining |
| Typhoo tea, Birds custard, Blue Bird Toffee, | | | | navigable. |
| Bournville cocoa, Cadbury chocolate, and HP | | | | Biography |
| Sauce. Alum Rock Road, Alum Rock, contains the | | | | Name: Maria Williams |
| largest concentration of take-away businesses in | | | | Occupation: Traveller |
| Birmingham. | | | | Website: |
| Ladypool Road, Sparkhill contains the largest | | | | Biography: Maria writes for Sleep UK - providers |
| concentration of restaurants in Birmingham and | | | | of discounted hotels to make your stay in the UK |
| possibly the UK. The Wing Yip food empire first | | | | as comfortable as possible. |
| began in the city and now has its headquarters in | | | | |