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Victoria Square

This sheds some light on cities and cathedrals. I don;t guarantee its accuracy.
It suggests London (city) was established in 314 AD. The first cathedral in 604 AD.
http://www.lovemytown.co.uk/Cathedrals/Cathedrals.htm

Incidentally there are three cathedrals south of the River Thames. The oldest dating to Norman times, but only a cathedral since 1905 and is one of two in Southwark. This older one is Anglican, the other newer one is Catholic; a cathedral since 1850 but badly damaged by bombing in WW2. The third is Westminster Cathedral which was started at the beginning of the 20th. century. It is a magnificent building, unlike any other in the UK.

But, none of this has anything to do with Birmingham and its 130 year celebrations - whatever they might be. :D
 
Managed to pop to Victoria Square before I left town earlier this evening and took these shots of the Brum 130 film display.

Better view was from heading down the steps around the Floozie. At the top was a bit too close.



I think that's a Birmingham 2022 banner!



Safety with the West Midlands Police.



First decent view as I headed down the steps.



Floozie plant garden.



One more before I headed down Pinfold Street to catch my bus on Carrs Lane.

 
Radiorails said:
This sheds some light on cities and cathedrals. I don;t guarantee its accuracy.
It suggests London (city) was established in 314 AD. The first cathedral in 604 AD.
http://www.lovemytown.co.uk/Cathedrals/Cathedrals.htm

Incidentally there are three cathedrals south of the River Thames. The oldest dating to Norman times, but only a cathedral since 1905 and is one of two in Southwark. This older one is Anglican, the other newer one is Catholic; a cathedral since 1850 but badly damaged by bombing in WW2. The third is Westminster Cathedral which was started at the beginning of the 20th. century. It is a magnificent building, unlike any other in the UK.

But, none of this has anything to do with Birmingham and its 130 year celebrations - whatever they might be. :D
Click to expand...

Although it has an SE postcode, Westminster Cathedral is actually north of the Thames, near Victoria.
 
This view of Victoria Square will change now that the new 103 Colmore Row is rising on the site of the old.



2009 view with the now demolished NatWest Tower.

 
You have all commented on the old Victorian buildings being destroyed, but why was the Nat West Tower, which appears to be fairly modern demolished, only for another monolith to rise in its place? But that is a superb picture of a luffing tower crane, just wondering whether he has an internal lift or has to climb up there every day. And you need nerves of steel and a head for heights and a good wind speed indicator to sit in that cab all day. At least the operator can get up and down, not like the one on the Burj Al Khalifa in Dubai, where he virtually lived in his crane.

Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
You have all commented on the old Victorian buildings being destroyed, but why was the Nat West Tower, which appears to be fairly modern demolished, only for another monolith to rise in its place? But that is a superb picture of a luffing tower crane, just wondering whether he has an internal lift or has to climb up there every day. And you need nerves of steel and a head for heights and a good wind speed indicator to sit in that cab all day. At least the operator can get up and down, not like the one on the Burj Al Khalifa in Dubai, where he virtually lived in his crane.

Bob
Click to expand...

The old NatWest Tower which was empty for many years was one of John Madin's Brutalist buildings and in my opinion definitely not one of his best creations. He lived long enough to see many of his buildings in Birmingham demolished for which I do feel sorry for him. However I do like some of his designs and I have worked in one of his buildings which is still standing which I think still looks good in its location.
 
DavidGrain said:
The old NatWest Tower which was empty for many years was one of John Madin's Brutalist buildings and in my opinion definitely not one of his best creations. He lived long enough to see many of his buildings in Birmingham demolished for which I do feel sorry for him. However I do like some of his designs and I have worked in one of his buildings which is still standing which I think still looks good in its location.
Click to expand...
David
Thank you, sorry I know the name Manzoni, but who was John Madin?
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
David
Thank you, sorry I know the name Manzoni, but who was John Madin?
Bob
Click to expand...

John Madin was probably the leading Birmingham architect in the `1960s 1970s see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Madin

Sir Herbert Manzoni was Birmingham City Council's Chief Engineer from 1930s who came up with the idea of the Inner Ring Road in order to keep traffic out of the city centre and was responsible for the plans to redevelop the city centre after the havoc of WWII
 
That's only the inner core rising at the moment. I think they are going to raise the crane up even higher.

The core is visible from quite a few places now. As well as near the Council House / Museum & Art Gallery. It's already on the skyline.

From the Moseley Road in Highgate if you get the no 50 bus.

103 Colmore Row, Birmingham - Above all else

Birmingham’s tallest office development is an architectural tour de force. This towering development will be visible from miles around the city – even at night, when its double height restaurant at the top of the building’s 26 storeys will act as a beacon.
www.103colmorerow.com
 
Diwali on the Square was in Victoria Square today.



Back in August was the Jamaica 0121 Festival.



A Bollywood movie shooting in the square in August 2019. They are still filming bits and pieces around the city centre.

 
ellbrown said:
Managed to pop to Victoria Square before I left town earlier this evening and took these shots of the Brum 130 film display.

Better view was from heading down the steps around the Floozie. At the top was a bit too close.



I think that's a Birmingham 2022 banner!



Safety with the West Midlands Police.



First decent view as I headed down the steps.



Floozie plant garden.



One more before I headed down Pinfold Street to catch my bus on Carrs Lane.

Click to expand...
Great photos...……...ellbrown!
 
Is the Queen Vic statue still there also what happened tothe Golden boys43951769_1531749743591723_8447435230750441472_n.jpg This is where they were before I left in 195743951769_1531749743591723_8447435230750441472_n.jpg
 

Golden Boys

Is there anything left of the Downtown Birmingham, I knew in 1957 when I left? Oldbrit not much of anything you remember is left nowadays , it's an absolute travesty in my book
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
oldbrit said:
Is the Queen Vic statue still there also what happened to the Golden boys.
Click to expand...

Queen Victoria statue is still in Victoria Square.

The Golden boys (who are now VERY golden) have been removed while the building work is going on but will be placed back in Centenary Square.

However the building BEHIND the Golden Boys in the photo above (Register Office where I got married) has been demolished.
 
Still in storage until 2020 as the spot they will go in is close to the Symphony Hall foyer refurbishment.

About a month ago the statue of HM Queen Victoria observed the buildings of the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market. And for the past month trams on a test past the Town Hall.



Pinfold Street on the day in November the BFCM opened.

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