With its majestic clock tower, magnificent domed buildings and acres of beautiful parkland, Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus is one of the many hidden gems open to the public in Birmingham. The campus includes many facilities and services that are also accessible by the general public.
A proud history
At the heart of the University, the red-brick Chancellor’s Court was the inspired vision of our first Chancellor and prominent politician the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain.
Designed by leading architect Sir Aston Webb (who also designed the façade of Buckingham Palace, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Britannia Royal Naval College (in Devon), it was completed in 1909 and remains at the heart of our campus. In the centre of the courtyard is the soaring clock tower, which can be seen across the city of Birmingham: an emblem of the University’s prestige.
A modern campus
Although our campus is known for its grand historic buildings, it also has a contemporary face with iconic buildings like Muirhead Tower; old and new sit together harmoniously.
Today the University estate occupies over 276 acres of land on two different sites and has facilities that include modern laboratories, shops, performance venues, libraries, museums, sports facilities and art galleries. The main Edgbaston campus is close to the city centre but has all the amenities of a small town, as well as its own railway station.
Did you know?
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The clock tower is 325 feet high; that’s 99.06 metres
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It is the largest freestanding clock tower in the world
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It is known as ‘Old Joe’ – in honour of Joseph Chamberlain
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It is based on the tower of Siena Town Hall in Italy
This is a University with a wealth of culture on campus. We invest over £1m per week on our estate to make sure that our students and staff work in surroundings that we hope will inspire them to make the most of their time at Birmingham.