Admiring Birmingham’s iconic buildings

With ample open spaces, parks, museums and heritage and modern buildings, the city can be best explored on foot or via the open bus tour. While you explore the city, its iconic buildings will effortlessly capture your attention. The public library of Birmingham, situated on the west side of the city centre, at Centenary Square, is the largest in the UK. Designed by Francine Houben, the library that opened in 2013 is an architectural masterpiece. The library's exterior resembles a shimmering stack of gift-wrapped presents and boasts an acclaimed collection of around 800,000 books. The ten-storeyed marvellous structure was ranked as the 10th most popular visitor attraction in the UK in 2014.
Victorian buildings with their trademark red brick and terracotta exteriors such as the Birmingham School of Art and the University of Birmingham provide an insight of how the city once looked. Co-existing are some of the modern structural marvels like the ‘bubble-wrapped' facade of the Selfridges building and the Mailbox which is an upmarket shopping and commercial centre that serves as a base for BBC Birmingham. The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is yet another popular tourist spot that has a significant collection of art and history. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses located in the tranquil suburb of Edgbaston is also a must-visit attraction that is a hit among locals and travellers alike.