Five Points South is a district located right next to the University of Alabama Birmingham. The district is well known and popular for its wide array of restaurants, clubs and nightlife. The area is also home to several city landmarks including the Storyteller Fountain, Pickwick Plaza and the Brother Bryan statue.
One of the largest cast iron statues in the world, The Vulcan statue is also the city's most important landmark structure. Symbolizing the city’s connection to the iron and steel industry, the statue stands proudly at a height of 56 feet (17.0688 meters) and portrays Vulcan, the Roman God of Fire. Designed by Giuseppe Moretti, an Italian-born sculptor in the year 1904, the statue served as Birmingham’s entry to Louisiana Purchase Exposition, an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri. The statue is now part of the Vulcan Park and Museum and is a must-visit during your time in Birmingham.
The very genesis of Birmingham, Sloss Furnaces were one of the pioneers in the process of smelting pig iron. Established in 1882, it is this iron industry that prompted the city of Birmingham to grow around it. Over the years, the machinery has gathered abundant rust and experience, both of which tell stirring tales of the industry's glorious heyday. Proclaimed a National Historic Landmark, this antiquated site is an escape into the ancient industrial processes of the country. The site was restored in 1983, and, in addition to the impressive furnaces, there is an industrial museum, a sculpture garden, and a park which lend deeper insights into the history and legacy of Sloss Furnaces. The furnaces also play host to concerts, festivals, events, and activities.
Face it. Birmingham and the civil rights movement go hand and hand. But, often overlooked by tourists is A.G. Gaston Gardens, Birmingham’s first African-American owned hotel. Built in the 1960s by African-American businessman A.G. Gaston (arguably the richest black man in America at the time), the former hotel housed black guests and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, and served as a meeting place to plan and organize activities. But, don’t be fooled by the current facade of pale pink, the A.G. Gaston motel provided first class accommodations of master suites with air conditioning and private bathrooms, something unheard of during that time. Not to be missed.
Designed by ace designer W.A. Rayfield, the Dr. A.M. Brown House is a historical building that was constructed for Dr. Arthur Brown who was a pioneer African-American doctor in the city. The designer Rayfield was also one of the first African-American architects of the area. The house was designed in a Craftsman-cottage style and boasts one and a half stories and possesses a deep porch and concrete pillars.
