Event venue spotlight: the Great Hall
Event venues in Birmingham don’t come grander than the Great Hall.
Built in 1900, it was designed to be a cathedral of learning – and it shows. With stained-glass windows, a vaulted ceiling, and a stunning marble entrance hall, it’s one of the most unusual conference venues in the Midlands.
Birmingham’s best
As you’d expect, a prestigious university setting brings a unique grandeur to large conferences, events and celebrations. The Great Hall steps that up a gear.
On arrival, you’re welcomed by a striking red-brick crescent lined with grass and trees, dominated by the world’s highest free-standing clock tower – known affectionately as ‘Old Joe’.
Above the entrance, nine statues form a ‘Pantheon of the Immortals’: a nod to the university’s commitment to learning across all branches of the arts and sciences.
Inside, the grand marble rotunda and dome give a powerful sense of light, space and drama. You should take a second look at yellow and gold plasterwork fretting the blue ceiling above your head, however. It’s a trompe l’oeil painting; a clever trick of the eye.
And once through those grand wooden doors, you’ll be awed by the scale and splendour of the space.
More than an event venue
If you’re organising large conferences or looking for a Birmingham event venue, you want more than just an impressive space.
You want great transport links by road, rail and air, with on-site parking. In-house services like AV and catering, all organised through a single point of contact. An experienced team to listen to your needs, and work with you to deliver your vision. And, of course, an accessible venue with level access, a lift to the stage, a hearing loop, and blue badge parking bays nearby.
A magical transformation
The Great Hall hasn’t only been a seat of learning. During World War I, it became the First Southern General Hospital, treating 64,000 of the 130,000 patients who passed through the city’s 15 war hospitals. It even had its own magazine, the Southern Cross.
That’s not the only costume change the Great Hall has performed over the years. It still serves its original purpose, to be the academic heart of campus: for graduation days, examinations and award ceremonies. But with a change of layout, lighting, and just a little behind-the-scenes magic, it evolves again: into a conference venue, a banqueting hall, a spectacular gala dinner…
What will it transform into for you? Contact us today, and find out.
