Birmingham Town Hall - A Birmingham Gem!

Birmingham Town Hall is a Grade I listed building located in Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square. It is a concert hall and a venue for popular assemblies in the City.  


Where is Birmingham Town Hall?

The Town Hall is in Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ. Between Paradise Street (Town Hall Tram Stop opened in late 2019) and Chamberlain Square.

 

In brief

The city's Town Hall was opened in 1834 and was the first significant work of the 19th-century to be considered a revival of Roman architecture.

Birmingham Town Hall. Photography by Daniel Sturley

 

The architects of the Town Hall was Joseph Hansom and Edward Welch. It was constructed between 1832 and 1834. It was renovated between 1996 and 2007. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building since 1952. It is now run by B Music Ltd, who also owns Symphony Hall.

Birmingham Town HallQueuing at the Town Hall in Victoria Square (July 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

For more than 180 years, Town Hall has been a hub of civic and cultural life in Birmingham.

It is a versatile venue, hosting classical music, rock, popular music and even comedy.

Events held at Birmingham's Town Hall have featured many world renowned artists such as David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Tony Iommi, Caitlin Moran and many more. Famous classical premieres held at the Town Hall have included Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles, The Kingdom and The Music Makers.

 

The Town Hall Organ

Inside and out, Birmingham's Town Hall is stunning in so many ways but it is the historic William Hill organ that has to be showpiece of this impressive building.

The organ paid for out of public funds was specially commissioned at the time of the build in 1834. It has huge pipes, 32 feet in length and, over the years, the size of the organ has grown from 3,000 to 6,000 pipes. 

At the time of the installation, it was the largest organ in England, and even now, it is considered comparable with the most powerful of organs around the world.

The William Hill organ is integral to the musical past and future of The Town Hall. 

Town Hall organ. Photography by Mike Gutteridge.

 

History of The Birmingham Town Hall 

The design and build of the Town Hall is based on the Roman Temple of Castor and Pollux. 

Birmingham Town Hall.  At the Birmingham History Galleries. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

In the year 1900, the famous English Composer, Edward Elgar premiered his The Dream of Gerontius at the Birmingham Town Hall. This photo below can be found in the Elgar Centre at The Firs: Elgar's Birthplace Museum, run by the National Trust in Worcestershire.

Statues outside of the Town Hall at the time included that of Robert Peel and Joseph Priestley.

Birmingham Town HallBirmingham Town Hall circa 1900 during the premiere of Edward Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. Public Domain. The National Trust / The Elgar Foundation. Photo found at The Firs: Elgar's Birthplace Museum. Courtesy of Elliott Brown (April 2022).

 

It was designed by Joseph Aloyisus Hansom and immediately became a form for political debate and speech-making, as well as internationally recognised venue for music. it was home to the Triennial Music Festivals between 1834 and 1912 and home to the CBSO between 1926 and 1991.  

Charles Dickens famously gave a reading of A Christmas Carol in the Town Hall.

It has undergone numerous alterations and changes to reflect the needs of musical performers and their audiences and remains one of the City's true Gems. 

Birmingham Town Hall and Tram. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Iron: Man moved into storage from 2017 to 2022, and the Westside Metro extension to Centenary Square opened near the Town Hall at the end of 2019. The Iron: Man returned to a new spot in the middle of February 2022.

Birmingham Town Hall and Iron: Man. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Town Hall Accident Memorial

What looks like the Lower Part Of A Fluted Column, is close to the Cathedral Square entrance from Temple Row (near Cherry Street). In January 1833, there was an accident at the construction site of the Town Hall, resulting in the deaths of John Heap (aged 38) and William Badger (aged 26). It looks like a stone pillar from the Town Hall. Near the end of April each year is Workers Memorial Day. Flowers are placed here to remember people killed or injured at work.

Town Hall Accident MemorialTown Hall Accident Memorial at Cathedral Square (January 2011). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Contacts and further details

View Town Hall on our Birmingham map HERE.

www.thsh.co.uk/town-hall

Travel to Town Hall Birmingham HERE.

Project dates

01 Sep 2019 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, People & community, Music & musicians

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com