When I first came to Birmingham, I didn't know who St Martin was or that this was a church, all I…read moreknew was there was certainly a magnificent church facing me as I drank my coffee at Starbucks, across the way with glass windows with great views of this church, as a building it is spectacular and really livens up Birmingham and makes the "City core" nicer as a whole, and it is amazing to see just a thing within meters of The Bullring, Birmingham's rather large shopping center. I class myself as Roman Catholic, yet I wouldn't class myself as extremely religious but still this Church is a really nice place to spend some time around while in Birmingham, with it being a nice, old building to the point where it actually is a Grade II listed building and has 16 bells. The current church has been there since 1873, since the old one was demolished, however 143 years on, it is ironic to be still calling this the "New" church, but still history goes back into the 1500's, where it still stood with 4 bells in 1552. They isn't much to say other than this is a really nice building and makes Birmingham city center as a whole, due to this great church and piece of history being on the door-step of Birmingham city center, which helps make Birmingham stand out, and to me is one of the things that makes Birmingham what it is today, an answer to London's Buckingham Palace perhaps? UPDATE: When I visited Birmingham, I run out of superlatives to describe this church but still I can't help but feel I only gave it such a high rating because of location, and in my opinion I feel I was too generous and location focused in my rating, I don't think this church has done enough to deserve 4 stars yet and I feel St Martin's in the Bullring deserves a high three star rating.

This place is pretty beautiful...if you are a tourist in Birmingham I would definitely say its…read moreworth a look. Located right by the Bullring this almost gothic looking building has been amazingly restored as the new buildings have been built around it. For any locals check the church website as there is sometimes vintage sales and other events in the main hall. Obviously worth a look.

As a young boy my mother and father would take me along to attend Sunday services at St. Edward's…read moreRoman Catholic Church. Although I never quite took to religion as my parents had hoped I always appreciated the wonderful sense of community inside the building. This church is deceptively big and has a sense of grandeur from the huge upstairs organ to the two side chapels complete with luxurious religious statues. Situated opposite Selly Park this church forms part of an idyllic local scene and regardless of your religious viewpoint it is difficult to argue with the aesthetic qualities of the building.

Versitile building. Served well by local tranpsort. Good…read morerooms for hire, church, cafe and a separate counselling centre.

I have been to Carrs Lane Church on more than one occasion for work training sessions…read more It's location is very convenient for me as I was familiar with the bulding but had never entered it. The Church provides a large hall and smaller conference type rooms and catering was part of the deal. The service was friendly and the conference room was ample. The larger congregation room was full when I visited and a band played with full PA. Best seats in the house were up on the balcony!

Close to Bishop Challoner's Catholic school lies the church where the Catholics go to prey to the…read moremother of the lord, Mary. The modern building that houses the church has often split opinion within the community. Some see it as a modern concrete mess; others think it is a beautiful place to worship. I like to go with the latter half. The swooping roof is quite eye catching in my opinion and the size of the building is quite big compared to the older Church of England's churches. The atmosphere inside is very holy, I felt guilty that I was an Atheist by just coming here. I guess that is the influence the church has on most people. I have chosen not to convert as a result of the guilt I feel, I just get on with my life. There are many believers out there and I think that they would be proud of this church. They sell rosary beads at a little shop at the entrance of the building, some of the beads are very nice to look at, just like the church itself.

Similar to the Catholic Cathedral in Liverpool, but on a much, much, much smaller scale, this is a…read morefine example of 1960s architecture that pulls off the neat trick of being yards from the Kings Heath High Street but somehow remains out of sight. I'd lived in Kings Heath for nearly a year and had walked passed it many, many times before I noticed it. The only time I've been inside was for a funeral, so it wasn't a happy occasion. The interior matches the functional exterior. Not being a religious man, I can't comment further than that. My friend's family were well looked after, however, and made use of the function room and bar adjacent to the church for the wake. 4 stars for the building, however, as I think it's lovely.

Tucked away up Selly Park's side streets on the border of Selly Oak, St Stephen's Church is a bit…read moreof a hidden gem. I chanced upon it whilst trying to find the quickest walking route from Selly Oak to Cannon Hill Park. It's an impressive, if slightly imposing building that's been well maintained.Built in 1871, it remains a good example of it's era. I particularly like the tall grey spire and the the way the trees surround the church in it's graveyard. In terms of denomination and approach, it's a Church of England church with an evangelical outlook , committed to welcoming new comers, including the students that form a large chunk of the local population. If you're a Christian in the area looking for a new church, why not give them a try?

St. Stephens is a lovely church. It somehow remains a bit hidden, despite being a) quite large and…read moreb) in the middle of students-ville practically on the Pershore Road. Its surrounded by trees and a small garden area; which makes it feel more secluded and countrified, albeit in the middle of Selly Oak... I've been to a few weddings here, and they've all gone without hitch. The staff seem to be really welcoming and friendly and the church itself always looks beautiful - inside and out. The entrance is by a side door, which is lovely, as everyone gets to see the bride enter without doing a 180 degrees head turning owl impression.

Firstly, St. Francis church in Bournville is quite simply a beautiful church, both inside and out…read more I can't really comment on the general work or services of the church, but I had the good fortune to attend a friend's wedding there recently and was impressed by how beautiful, bright and welcoming the building is - as well as the clergy there. It is a big church, but simple and elegant, tastefully decorated inside in light blue and cream - which was, conveniently, the colour scheme of the wedding. I have no idea whether this was intentional on the bride's behalf, or just plain co-incidence. I do know that they were an extremely accommodating lot at St. Francis, so who knows? Maybe they re-painted just for her... The wedding party rocked up with their own vicar, musicians, decorations and what have you; all of which were readily welcomed and accommodated by the vicar - Peter Babington - and his staff. According to my (now married) friend, they were great at keeping in touch and making sure everything ran smoothly as well. So, as I said, I can't tell you about Sunday services or other day-to-day church activities, but for a wedding, this place seemed perfect.

This is actually quite a fantastic looking church. It's one of those churches I've been to for a…read morewedding that I attended a couple of months back. It's pretty large inside and offers traditional features which I always adore when walking into a religious building. The colours they've used are colours I'd expect to see in a church. It's effective and presents an image of an important place. When I went there for this wedding I attended, the church looked great in the backdrop of all the wedding pictures. Due to the traditional look of the church from the outside, it worked well in regards to offering a scenery for the wedding party. The church congregation and vicar are very welcoming and it's nice to attend a church where you are not badgered about attending their church. This left me with a positive feeling about the religious establishment that I may visit the place again.

One of the smallest cathedrals in the country apparently. Still quite big actually. It's called St…read morePhillips 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.

Birmingham Cathedral is an impressive Cathedral in the Snowhill area of Birmingham, it is fairly…read moreclose 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*

Great church! Fab vicar!…read moreExcellent children's worker! Friendly and loving people! The church building celebrates 25 years on Tuesday 4th February 2020, it would be great to see you there!

This Church is the closest one to me and it is a Church that holds a lot of memories for me…read morepersonally. Right next to the Church there is also a Hall where you can hold parties. I had my first birthday party in the Hall next to the Church and it was a great day although I did get stuffed with cake. The Hall itself is very spacious and there is plenty of room to move about. It is a lovely place to hold parties and if you are looking for a venue to have a party, St James' Church might just be your answer. During my early childhood days, I regularly visited the Church and was always able to get peace and quiet just by going there. I always made the effort to go there in the morning and attend services along with my mother. I haven't been to the Church for quite some time. However it is a place that will always remain with me for many years to come. Perhaps it could be a place for you that could stay with you for the rest of your life.