3
Unexpectedly Elegant
Birmingham feels like several cities rolled into one.
From the dusty area outside New Street Station, to the warped red brick road of New Street, the waterside walkways of the canal, and the downright elegant look of Victoria Square, the Museum and Art Gallery, and Birmingham Library, it’s anything but boring.
The standout feature of this location is the fountain. At the top is a large sculpture of a woman reclining in the water. The installation is officially known as The River, though it's often referred to as The Floozie – short for The Floozie in the Jacuzzi. Around the rim of the fountain, there's an inscription taken from Burnt Norton by T. S. Eliot:
"And the pool was filled with water of sunlight,
And the lotus rose, quietly, quietly,
The surface glittered out of heart of light,
And they were behind us, reflected in the pool.
Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty."
Following the flow of water and down the stairs, there's a second installation known as Youth, depicting a young man and woman.
On either side of the fountain are two large sculptures of Sphinx-like creatures collectively known as Guardians.
Victoria Square is a lovely place to stop when the sun's out, definitely popular with the meal deal munching staff of local businesses. Though I'd suggest a coffee and a pastry from Gayles on the New Street.
Birmingham feels like several cities rolled into one.
From the dusty area outside New Street Station, to the warped red brick road of New Street, the waterside walkways of the canal, and the downright elegant look of Victoria Square, the Museum and Art Gallery, and Birmingham Library, it’s anything but boring.
The standout feature of this location is the fountain. At the top is a large sculpture of a woman reclining in the water. The installation is officially known as The River, though it's often referred to as The Floozie – short for The Floozie in the Jacuzzi. Around the rim of the fountain, there's an inscription taken from Burnt Norton by T. S. Eliot:
"And the pool was filled with water of sunlight,
And the lotus rose, quietly, quietly,
The surface glittered out of heart of light,
And they were behind us, reflected in the pool.
Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty."
Following the flow of water and down the stairs, there's a second installation known as Youth, depicting a young man and woman.
On either side of the fountain are two large sculptures of Sphinx-like creatures collectively known as Guardians.
Victoria Square is a lovely place to stop when the sun's out, definitely popular with the meal deal munching staff of local businesses. Though I'd suggest a coffee and a pastry from Gayles on the New Street.
