Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, the U.S. state. Founded in 1871, the city was named after the major industrial city of England. It was one of the battlegrounds of American Civil Rights Movement in 1960. The city faced a tremendous and surprising growth, which gave it the name 'The Magic City'. It was a major steel production center earlier and was entitled with the name 'The Pittsburgh of the South'. It is the county seat of the Jefferson County. The city has developed so much that it is ranked as one of the most important business centers in the Southeastern United States and also one of the largest banking centers in the country.

Area & Location: Situated in Central Alabama, Birmingham is surrounded by Appalachian Mountains. Red Mountain lies south of the city which is located at 33º39'12? Latitude North and 86º48'32? Longitude West. The city occupies a total area of 393.5 sq. km with 388.3 sq. km of land and 5.3 sq. km of water. It has an elevation of 140 m. Around 231, 483 people reside in the city with a density of 625.4 per sq. km.

Tourist Attractions: The city offers several shopping, entertainment and attractions to its visitors that make them reach the city once in every year.

Transportation: Birmingham International Airport that serves more than three million passengers per year serves the city. Amtrak's Crescent train connects the city with other regions. Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority that handles Metro Area Express bus system also serves the city. The well-built and extensive road network that consists of Interstate highways and expressways link the city with various other cities.

Hotels: Tourists at Birmingham are served by various international hotels, which are neat and tidy. Being an industrial city, tourists reach here for business purpose. Aimed at such people, conference halls and meeting halls are arranged in these hotels. Courtyard Birmingham Downtown UAB, Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, Homewood Suites Birmingham South Inverness, Birmingham Marriott, Comfort Inn & Suites Colonnade, Birmingham Southwest Drury Inn & Suites, Residence Inn Birmingham Inverness, Best Western Carlton Suites, Hampton Inn - Colonnade, Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park, Pickwick and Sheraton Birmingham are some of the famous hotels in the city.

Places of Attraction: Various museums in the city tell the story of the city's origin, growth and development. Its museums include Birmingham Museum of Art, Bessemer Hall of History, Sloss Furnaces, Alabama Museum of Health Sciences and the Arlington Home, McWane Science Center, Southern Museum of Flight and Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and The Barber Motorsports Museum. Veterans Skate Park, Kelly Ingram Park, Oak Mountain State Park, Great Smoky Mountains, Birmingham Botanical Gardens -a 67-acre park, Birmingham Zoo, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park and Alabama Adventure Theme Park are the recreational centers offered by the city. Smith Lake, Lay Lake, Lake Neely Henry, Lake Logan Martin, Lake Purdy, and Bankhead Reservoir are the various lakes through which boating is possible.