Birmingham is situated in the west miidlands of England and boasts the second largest population of any city in England. Second only to London, it has a population of 1,016,800 "Brummies" (People from Birmingham are known as 'Brummies', a term derived from the city's nickname of 'Brum'.)
Birmingham was originally a Saxon village. In the early 12th century it grew into a town. In 1166 the King gave the Lord of the Manor, Peter De Birmingham, the right to hold a weekly market at Birmingham. Once a market was up and running merchants and craftsmen came to live in Birmingham and it soon developed into a busy little town. Birmingham was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in England, a fact which led to it being known as "the workshop of the world" or the "city of a thousand trades".
Although Birmingham's industrial importance has declined, it has developed into a national commercial centre, being named as the second-best place in the United Kingdom to locate a business. In 2010, Birmingham was ranked as the 55th-most livable city in the world, according to the Mercer Index of worldwide standards of living. The Big City Plan is a large redevelopment plan currently underway in the city centre with the aim of making Birmingham one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world within 20 years.
Birmingham is a national hub for conferences, retail and events along with an established high tech, research and development sector, supported by its three Universities. It is also the fourth-most visited city by foreign visitors in the UK. It is economically thriving and has the second-largest city economy in the UK.
Birmingham now hosts more major events than anywhere else in the UK and boasts a vibrant nightlife, a thriving cultural scene and fantastic shopping. Birmingham is a great city to live in and to visit. Located in the heart of England and surrounded by beautiful countryside, Birmingham is vibrant and cosmopolitan, and is regularly heralded for being the most multicultural city in England.
Birmingham is a great place to visit due to it's many attractions (see "Things to Do). Great prices and deals can be found here at i Hotels Birmingham for all the best places to stay in the area.