Throwback Thursday: Victoria Square, Birmingham

This large public square in front of Birmingham Council House is, unsurprisingly, named after Queen Victoria. Prior to 1901 however it was known as Council House Square. A parish church was on the site first, from 1813, followed by Birmingham Town Hall (1832-1834) and then the current Council House. One of the central features of the Square is this statue which I was amused to discover on researching this post is known locally as “Floozie in the Jacuzzi”. Now a flower bed it was part of a water fountain up until 2013 when irreparable faults led to the water being permanently turned off.

The Square also features two of the Guardian Sphinx

as well as this statue of Queen Victoria, sculpted by Thomas Brock in marble in 1901 and then recast in bronze by William Bloye in 1951 and

Iron: Man by Antony Gormley which was donated to the city in 1993.