One of the smallest cathedrals in the country apparently. Still quite big actually. It's called St Phillips cathedral. It's a barque church. Queen Elizabeth has been here. It has a lot of greenery and benches around it, right in the city centre. Nice place to relax, but always remember going to church doesn't make you religious any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. read more

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Birmingham Cathedral is an impressive Cathedral in the Snowhill area of Birmingham, it is fairly close to the train station on Colmore Row. Also referred to as St Philip's Cathedral, it was built over 15 years starting in 1710 and is also surrounded by some nice gardens where there are benches, although the benches could have been better maintained in terms of appearance (paint, cleanliness etc) I was surprised to hear this is the third smallest cathedral in England - with only Derby and Chelmsford being smaller, but it still carries about that charm and grand structure so it does look good within the city and it's surrounding gardens, with even some information about the Cathedral too. It did suffer bombings during the second world war but was restored its current condition shortly after. A small but stunning church in the city centre of Birmingham, and one of my favourite Cathedrals in the UK despite it being one of the smallest. 4* read more

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A wonderful building. The cathedral isn't particularly old, or especially big, but it worth going in to have a look at the stain glass windows, designed by William Burne-Jones. There is a sense of calm in this building, so if you are religious or not, it a good place to visit if you want a moment of quiet reflection. That said, the site has also been used for art/sculpture exhibititions and the Silent Night movies, arranged by Flatpack films festival and Colmore Business District, which are great fun. -Wine, food and a funny film! It's good to see the space used so well, by so many! read more

Birmingham Cathedral - Churches Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

What can I say about St Phillips that you won't already know (if you live in Birmingham)? It's the only green spot in the City Centre and is a place of calm and reflection. Located in between the shopping and financial district (in between two train stations and loads of bus stops), it's an iconic sight for visitors and locals alike. The cathedral itself is gorgeous both inside and out (it has been around since 1715) and is well worth a walk around. As well as the normal churchy things you would think it would do (services and the like), it also hosts film and community events. It's free to enter and have a look around and the Dean is genuinely lovely (and will always answer your questions if she is around). The grounds (especially in the summer) draw in the goths, the teens, the city workers and the families who all sit, sunbathe and eat their lunch in this little sun-trap of a location. If you're really lucky, sometimes it attracts amateur Circus performers who practice their skills and put on a little show for the onlookers. Around the square there are a few coffee shops, places to grab lunch and pubs; so it's a great place to sit and soak up the atmosphere. It's especially good for people watching as it's a popular thoroughfare and public transport hub (honestly, you will see some weird and wonderful sights). As well as events inside the Cathedral, the grounds host monthly arts markets. These attract local crafters, photographers and a large selection of homemade hyperlocal goods are for sale. It's a great place to pick up a present for a quirky friend or family member! If, like me, you have lived in the City and not ventured into the Cathedral... Just take 10 minutes of your weekend and pop your head in. It'll give you a whole new appreciation for the building we all walk past all the time and don't give a second look. read more

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I'm not religious in the slightest, so I'm approaching this review from a slightly different angle to those who may be part of the congregation. Birmingham Cathedral is beautiful. STUNNING. With grassy grounds surrounding it on all sides, it manages to provide a sweet release from the bustle and greyness of the city - and a popular place to eat lunch when the sun is shining down. The inside of the Cathedral is equally stunning. Large stained glass windows paint shafts of light in rainbows, and the vaulted ceilings loom heavy and ornate above. Despite my lack of religion, the building always instills in me a sense of quiet and reflection - be it from the years and years it has stood there, or from imagining the volume of people and prayers who have walked through it's doors. read more

Birmingham Cathedral - Cathedral and gardens - Churches Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

The Cathedral of St. Philip, aka Birmingham Cathedral, is the third smallest cathedral in the United Kingdom. Usually open to visitors during the day, the visit is (of course) free, and photography is allowed - and also free. It is a small but stunning Baroque church, quite different in design from the many neo-classical cathedrals in England. Its main claim to fame are the four(!) beautiful stained glass windows, designed by the famous pre-Raphaelite painter Edmund Byrne-Jones. Three of them chronicle the life of Christ in an original and characteristic way (typical for Byrne-Jones are the elongated figures with their small heads). See my pictures of the building and windows. Visited February, 2017. read more

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St Philip's has a superb setting in central Birmingham, located in the centre of a lovely square with graveyards and lawns. It's an oasis from the surrounding hustle and bustle of shoppers, office workers and customers of the area's many bars and restaurants. One thing that stikes you straight away is its size: it's perfectly formed, but rather small. This is because it was built (1709-1715) to be the rather imposing parish church of a then-expanding industrial and market town, rather than the Cathedral of the UK's second city. It was elevated to Cathedral status in 1905. The building itself is in the English baroque style, with a dignified but relatively plain exterior, without an apse or transepts. The nave has elegant piers of square corinthian columns, with substantial galleries. These lead to a rather more sumptuous sanctuary, with more elborate corinthian columns with gilded capitals, and some superb stained glass by Burne-Jones. But the overall effect is rather intimate, reflecting its overall scale. The graveyard and lawns around are a real lung for the city centre, and are lunchtimes are full of office-workers seeking some fresh air and sun. There's one notable gravestone near the west end of the church, recording Nannetta Stocker (1782-1819). She was a small person, who left the village of Kammer in her native Austria, to tour Europe. As well as being only 84cm high, she was a talented pianist and played as part of a duo with John Hauptman, who was a violinist and 8cm taller. The inscription is charming, and reads: "In Memory of Nannetta Stocker, who departed this Life 4th May 1819, aged ** years, The smallest Woman ever in this Kingdom possessed with every accomplishment, only 33 inches high, a Native of Austria." read more

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St Philip's Cathedral is a Birmingham gem, a rare example (for Birmingham, at least) of English baroque architecture, sitting in the heart of the city. The square surrounding the Cathedral is often busy, with criss-crossing commuters and people lunching on the benches, but I wonder how many of them admire the building or go inside for a peek. On the outside the Cathedral is attractive, with an elegant domed tower and classical urns decorating the roof. The refined interior is not over the top, and boasts a few impressive features, including the golden columns and the organ. Most impressive of all are the amazing and vivid stained glass windows, by famous Birmingham-born Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. Recently the Cathedral has become more active as a venue for non-religious events in the city. I've been to several talks and arts events hosted by the Cathedral as part of local festivals, including Birmingham Literature Festival and Flatpack Film Festival. It makes for a pretty special venue and is surprisingly comfortable. Would recommend keeping an eye out for events hosted here. read more

Birmingham Cathedral - View from one of the galleries - Churches Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Music from Ex Cathedra! Birmingham Cathedral is located in the fondly termed 'Pigeon Park' (Cathedral Square). Unique stained windows, marble pillars and a gallery area, make this worth a visit. The grounds form a major meeting spot, especially on a warm day! read more

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This stunning baroque church is Birmingham's Church of England Cathedral. It sits on Colmore Row, surrounded by a grassy churchyard/park a.k.a pigeon park. The cathedral was designed by Thomas Archer and built between 1711 and 1715. It features some rather special stained glass windows by local artist, Edward Burne-Jones. It is always lovely to walk past and hear the sounds of the organ and choir drifting from the building. It is also quite interesting to see the clergy file out after services, looking so far removed from the goths and skater kids who hang around by the cathedral. read more

Can't miss this beautiful church when in colmore row area. It looks amazing anytime of the year. Summer is full of crowds aroubd in park, snowy days it looks beautiful walking through the park. read more

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I always feel like St.Philip's Cathedral always seems on the small side to be labelled with such a big word but it is a stunning Baroque building. It's the square that surrounds it that I want to review. As the only real decent sized bit of lawn in the centre of Brum this is the place to venture when the sun is out or to meet a friend. Next to the war memorial you'll find the alternative kids and on the Cathedral's side steps you'll find some more as well as some skaters. Along the benches are people grabbing their lunch as there are sooo many benches. If the sun is out the expect to find everyone on the grass, catching some sun, reading books or hanging out with friends having a picnic. This is the perfect people watching place and it's a beautiful location to boot too. read more

I walk through Saint Phillips almost every day on the way to uni. Its very central and always busy no matter what time of day. I dont think the building is that big (I expected bigger for a cathedral and actually thought it was a church when I first saw it) Although the grass is a bit patchy the rest of the grounds are very well looked after. There is barely ever litter lying about. Quite a few benches and bins around so a good place for eating take away lunches. also known as Pidgeon park apparetly. read more

Situated round the back of Rackhams, the Cathedral is another area of Birmingham which has undergone redevelopment in recent years. For several months, the green around the Cathedral was cordoned off when plague graves were found but since all that work has been finished the Cathedral is back to it's former glories. There are some gorgeous windows as part of the church, designed by one of Birmingham's best known sons, Edward Burne Jones. They are a fantastic example of his work and it is worth the visit to the cathedral just to see them. That said the Cathedral has a number of other gems to offer and is a lovely concert venue. Concerts are often put on throughout the year. read more

Ah, St Philip's - those of you of a certain age may still think of it as 'pigeon park'. It's certainly still a favourite hang-out spot for younger teenies who can be found in the graveyard drinking themselves daft on cider. I don't mean to make it sound awful - they're actually pretty harmless looking and St Philip's has always been somewhere for people - including local office workers and pensioners who feed the birds - to congregate, simply because it's a lovely spot. As well as housing a memorial to workers who have been killed and injured at work (which I think is quite unique) the Cathedral itself is worth visiting - as mentioned in other reviews you can find some lovely stained glass windows by Burne-Jones (who allegedly waived his fee) and the beauty of it, is it's location - slap bang in the middle of the city centre. read more

Birmingham Cathedral is located at the city centre of Birmingham, close to the bullring. The cathedral is the one of the beautiful historic building in city centre. Set within a restored churchyard, the Cathedral contains four famous Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows. read more

lovely Traditional church services here...do give it a try.Lovely atmosphere,friendly people.The services are All lovely here.Do come to the 3.30 Evensong if you're in town on a sunday afternoon.Its the perfect way to round off your sunday afternoon. read more