What makes Birmingham famous?

We’re often referred to as the youngest city in Europe, with 28% of our population being under 20, but there’s a lot more that puts Birmingham on the map, making us famous nationwide and even globally. Here are just a few things our amazing city is known for.

1. Food

Birmingham has the most Michelin-star restaurants outside of London.

We’re well known for our street food and independent food vendors that pop up at Digbeth Dining Club and Hockley Social Club.

We’re home to a few well-known staples of the British diet:

• You’ve probably heard that Cadbury and Bournville chocolate originated here in Birmingham, with the Cadbury factory still running to this day.
• Bird’s Custard was invited here in 1837 by Alfred Bird. The original Bird’s Custard Factory is now a hot spot for independent shops and creative businesses.
• HP or ‘brown’ sauce, the must-have accompaniment with every fully cooked English breakfast, might have been named after the Houses of Parliament but was made here in Birmingham.
• Typhoo tea, a well-known type of English Breakfast Tea was founded in Birmingham in 1903.

Birmingham is the birthplace of the Balti, a type of curry whose name directly translates to ‘bucket’. Our ‘Balti Triangle’ consisting of over 100 curry houses has gained world recognition for being home to some of the country's best!

2. The Jewellery Quarter

Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter produces 40% of all the UK’s Jewellery, which is the highest concentration in Europe! It’s also home to our School of Jewellery producing the next generation of talented Jewellers.

At one point, three-quarters of all the world's pens had nibs that were made here in Birmingham (1875).

3. Literacy

Did you know The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were based on a suburb here in Birmingham, where the author JRR Tolkien lived? You can complete the Tolkien Trail through Moseley which consists of the author’s childhood home and landmarks that influenced his novels.

The Library of Birmingham, built for £189 million, is the largest regional library and cultural space in Europe.

4. Theatre

Birmingham Hippodrome is the busiest theatre in the UK, with over 520,000 visitors each year. Check out our theatre map to see more venues across the city.

ODEON Cinemas, the largest cinema chain in the UK, were founded in Perry Bar, in Birmingham by Oscar Deutsch in 1930.

5. Our Location

Here in the Midlands, we are located in the middle of the country, which makes Birmingham incredibly accessible you can get to 90% of the UK in under four hours!

Tourist attractions such as London, Stratford-upon-Avon and other popular destinations are just a stones-throw away.

6. Manufacturing

Birmingham was home to the great scientists and inventors Matthew Boulton, James Watt and William Murdoch, leading Birmingham to be the first manufacturing town in the world.

The first ever working Steam Engine and the anchor of the Titanic were built in the Black Country.

7. Sport

The FA Cup was made in Birmingham and the first ever football league started here.

We’re home to several football teams; Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. You can check out our sports map for more teams and venues across the city.

We have Edgbaston, the world-famous cricket stadium which frequently hosts international Test Matches.

Plus, we hosted the Commonwealth Games here in Birmingham in 2022, putting Birmingham on the global sporting stage!

8. Music

Birmingham is said to be the home of heavy metal with the likes of Black Sabbath (led by Ozzy Osbourne), Judas Priest and lead singer of Led Zeppelin originating from the city.

The Streets, UB40, Wizzard, Laura Mvula and Duran Duran also come from Birmingham.

We host over 50 festivals across the city each year, such as Moseley Folk Festival and MADE festival.

9. Transportation

Birmingham New Street is the busiest train station in the UK outside of London.

The world’s oldest railway roundhouse was recently discovered just steps from our City Centre Campus.

We’re well known for our canal system originating back to 1768, and have more miles of canals than Venice!

Birmingham International Airport is the third largest in the UK, and the city sees over one million international visitors each year.

Birmingham is one of the greenest cities in the UK with over 8,000 acres of parks and open space (that’s more than Paris!).

We’re home to Sutton Park, one of the largest urban parks in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe outside of a capital city.

11. Shopping

We’re one of the top three shopping destinations in the UK. With our high street, the Mailbox, Bullring, Grand Central, the world’s largest Primark, independents, vintage shops and so much more, there really is something for everyone!

Birmingham’s Bullring is also one of the largest shopping centres in Europe and has been ‘the place to shop’ since the Middle Ages.