15 Interesting Facts about BirminghamTrivia and useful information about Birmingham (West Midlands, UK)

The NameBirmingham means to home (ham) of the people (ing) of the tribal leader Birm or Beorma

NicknameBrummie is a colloquial term for the city’s inhabitants, accent and dialect. The term is derived from the city’s old name Brummagem.

OriginsBirmingham as a settlement dates from the 7th Century Anglo-Saxon era

Home to great historical inventionsOne of the major events of Birmingham’s history was the development in 1776 of the industrial steam engine by James Watt and Matthew Boulton

Discovery of OxygenJoseph Priestley, a Birmingham minister (1780-91), discovered oxygen

EconomyBirmingham is the biggest hub in Great Britain for employment in public administration, education and health.

CadburyBournville, Birmingham is home to Cadbury's Chocolate.

Victoria Square FountainsVictoria Square in Birmingham hosts one of the largest fountains in Europe, with a flow of 3,000 gallons per minute

St. Patrick’s DayBirmingham’s annual St. Patrick’s day celebration is the third biggest outside Dublin and New York.

Bingley HallBingley Hall in Birmingham is the world's first exhibition hall, opened in 1850.

Healthcare

There are several major National Health Service hospitals and clinics serving various health services including general health, dental care, cosmetic treatment services in Birmingham.

Jewellary QuarterThe Jewellery Quarter is the largest concentration of dedicated jewellers in Europe. Half of all jewellery made in the UK comes from Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

Birmingham Canal NavigationsThe canal network connects Birmingham to Wolverhampton and the eastern part of the Black Country in Midlands.

Twin CitiesBirmingham's international Partner Cities include Chicago, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Leipzig, Lyon and Milan.

Centenary SquareBirmingham's Centenary Square is made of more than 500,000 individual bricks, all hand laid.

Sources:• BBC.co.uk• Birmingham.gov.uk• Birminghammail.co.uk