[Birmingham] has a long history as a leading centre of trade and market innovation. Its earliest transformation, in the 1200’s, from an agriculturally insignificant village into one of the greatest industrial cities in the world, earned it a reputation as ‘The city of a thousand trades’. Birmingham’s importance has been forged and fashioned by its own people. It is not a site of strategic defensive importance, and has no castle, port, or river. The city emerged solely as a result of its ability to craft, manufacture, and trade goods.
The site of Bullring, beneath the St Martin’s Church, has always been the city’s historic market centre, and began life in 1166 when Birmingham was awarded a charter giving it the right to have its own market.
Built at a cost of over £500 million, Bullring has brought over 26 football pitches worth of shops, boutiques and restaurants into the centre of the city. It has reintroduced some of Birmingham’s traditional streets in a stimulating, glass covered environment where you can shop, eat or just be.
Bullring isn’t just a shopping centre. It’s a new beginning for the city. It has introduced 3,200 more car parking spaces, improved public transport links and a refurbished Moor Street Station. And with a stunning mix of contemporary architecture and historic buildings, Bullring has completely changed the face of Birmingham.
A couple of Bullring facts relating to the photos in this blog:
The Bronze Bull situated in the square at the base of Rotunda is two and a half life sized and weighs 5T.
3 light wands are situated in the square at the base of the rotunda. These act as beacons and are 20, 25 & 30 meters in height.
This is the bronze bull in front of the mall.
There is a same-size replica in the food court area downstairs made from jelly beans. And yes, they are both anatomically correct. (^_^)
The three light wands.
The mall is symmetrically built and this picture shows the entrance to the left side as you approach from the light wands.
This is the right entrance where the bull is located.
The webcam from inside the Bullring has been rated as one of Earthcam’s top 25 most interesting.
Additional info: the first 2 days of opening, the Bullring had over 2 million visitors from all over the world.
The Bullring is less than 20 minutes from my home.
PS: Some of you may notice I have posted photos of the outside of the mall. Photos are forbidden inside the mall, unless one writes to the owners in advance and seek permission. This does not contravene UK laws which state that taking photographs in public is permitted, as the mall is private property.
