The foundation stone for the Council House was
laid by Joseph Chamberlain in 1874. Work was
completed in 1879 at a cost of £163,000. The
building was designed by Yeoville Thomason,
the same architect who built the Museum and
Art Gallery behind in Chamberlain Square in
1885. The building is actually used by the council
to this day. It is a grade II listed building.
Both Chamberlain Square and Victoria Square
surround the Council House and the backdrop
of the nearby town hall adds to the grandeur.
The Tourism Office and entrance to the library
lead off Chamberlain Square and the town hall
sits impressively separating the two where the
squares join. Victoria Square in front of the
Council House with its impressive water fountains
and the River Godess by Dhruva Mistry (1993)
is joined by the Iron Man by Antony Gormley
(1993). Both are watched by a stern Queen Victoria
who keeps her guard over the square.
The memorial in Chamberlain Square is dedicated
to John H Chamberlain (1880) and a rather casual
looking statue of Thomas Attwood (Birmingham banker
and MP) reading, sits on the steps of the square.
The River Godess is often referred to by Brummies
as the 'Floozie in the Jacuzzi'
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