Here are 10 parts of the city we simply refuse to call by their proper titles.
Spitfire Island, or not as it turns out(Image: BPM)
Birmingham is a quirky old place – and that becomes all the more clear when we open our mouths.
It is the UK’s second-largest city, which means there is plenty to see and do out there – but when you arrive, you tend to find we have made up a new name for whatever you are gawping at.
Whether it is shops or roads and particularly public art – we basically always dream up a new name of that – you tend to find yourself confused.
But fear not, we have your backs – here are 10 parts of the city we simply refuse to call by their proper titles.
Read more: Eleven more places we call something else
The Floozie in the Jacuzzi
Prepare yourself to be surprised – the fountain in Victoria Square isn’t really called that. It’s real name is The River.
Of course, you can’t really accurately call it a fountain either these days.
The River, by Dhruva Mistry was built between 1992 and 1994 when the renovated square was opened by Princess Diana.
Around it reads the words of T.S.Eliot’s poem Burnt Norwood. It ends: “Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty.”
Rackhams
You probably know this – not called Rackhams at all. It’s House of Fraser.
The 1960s building, which straddles Corporation Street and Temple Row, has never lost the name of its former owners.
It was purchased from Rackhams in 1959 and was re-branded as House Of Fraser in 2003.
Pigeon Park
(Image: Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Live)
Yeah, not its real name. Its actually the St Philip’s Cathedral grounds – although nobody told the pigeons.
Those birds aside though, it has always been a favourite spot among city workers on a sunny day.
Thanks to the cathedral being one of the smallest in England, there is plenty more of its extensive grounds to go around.
Spaghetti Junction
This tangle of slip roads is much better known as its very apt nickname – which we came up with.
The maze was designed at the centre of the ‘Midland Links project’ to join the M1, M5, M6 motorways and the A38(M) Aston Expressway into Birmingham.
Its more common name was coined by the late Birmingham Mail journalist Roy Smith.
After looking at the first plans for the interchange he described them: “like a cross between a plate of spaghetti and an unsuccessful attempt at a Staffordshire knot”.
His article was headlined ‘Spaghetti Junction’ and the rest is history.
Today, even radio traffic updates call it by its new name and its proper title Gravelly Hill Interchange is used largely in jest.
The Radisson
(Image: Graham Young / BirminghamLive)
This is probably acceptable but the real name is Beetham Tower.
With 39 floors the structure is only one floor short of a fully-fledged skyscraper.
It took Liverpool-based property developers Beetham Organisation three years to complete construction between 2003 and 2006.
Less than half of the tower – 19 floors – are occupied by the Radisson Blu hotel.
Pagoda Island
Actually called Holloway Circus.
However, there has been a pagoda statue at the centre of the island for a very long time.
As a result it did not take long for the spot to be given its own nickname.
The Iron Man
(Image: Graham Young / BirminghamLive)
Artist Antony Gormley’s 20ft man made out of iron has stood in Victoria Square since March 1993.
Cast in Willenhall, It was a gift to the city from the Trustee Savings Bank (TSB), who were based at the nearby Post Office building.
Gormley decided to name his work ‘Untitled’.
Many Brummies may not have known what to make of the statue at first.
But after time soon came to affectionately, and rather descriptively, dub it ‘The Iron Man’.
When its creator heard of the new colloquialism he is said to have requested its name be changed to ‘Iron: Man’ .
Spitfire Island
We are blowing your minds now, right? It is actually called Sentinel.
This stylish monument pays tribute to one of the many crucial roles the city played during the Second World War.
Spitfire fighter planes soar out of the island over the area they were made.
More than 15,000 spitfires and a similar number of Lancaster bombers were built at the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome Factory (today’s Jaguar Land Rover plant) between 1940 and 1945.
The statue itself was designed by the great nephew of Lord of The Rings author JRR Tolkein.
The Ramp
(Image: Graham Young / Birmingham Live)
This one is a little shocking we know – but apparently The Ramp is not officially called The Ramp.
The hotel, restaurant and takeaways on the strip all list their address as Stephenson Place, the steep stretch which links Stephenson Street to Corporation Street.
Since the New Street station and Grand Central redevelopment The Ramp is rarely as packed as it used to get.
Still, if you are claustrophobic you will know not to head there at rush hour.
Winson Green prison
It’s HMP Birmingham.
Better known inmates include Ozzy Osbourne, who served six weeks for breaking and entering and theft in 1966.
Former West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes, who spent part of his six year sentence for dangerous driving in 2004.
And serial killer Fred West, who committed suicide in his cell in 1995 before he could be brought to trial.