Birmingham’s Black Sabbath mural trail featuring ‘birthplace of heavy metal’ and must-see fan pilgrimage site
Watch as we walk Birmingham’s eye-catching Black Sabbath mural trail, ahead of the band's final concert.
You don't need a ticket to Villa Park to feel Black Sabbath's presence in Birmingham.
The city has quietly transformed itself into a living museum - layered with murals, monuments, and memories forged in metal.
The ‘birthplace of heavy metal’
It starts on Hill Street, where four lads from Aston played their first gig in 1968.
The Crown pub is sealed off now, its insides gathering dust - but its exterior has become a kind of altar.
Giant portraits of the band stare out over the street, turning a boarded-up building into something sacred.
40-metre mural charts Black Sabbath’s rise
Around the corner on Navigation Street, a 40-metre mural charts the band's rise across seven decades.
You can't miss it, and that's the point. Black Sabbath never asked permission, and neither does this artwork. It's Brum broadcasting its cultural DNA loud and proud.
Commonwealth Games mechanical bull renamed Ozzy
Inside New Street Station, the ten-metre mechanical bull from the Commonwealth Games has been renamed Ozzy.
It nods every hour and swishes its tail like it's clocking in. Originally cast in metal, it's been rebuilt to last - much like the band's legacy.
The trail continues: Digbeth's street art, a tram named Ozzy, the old Odeon, the Town Hall.
Black Sabbath Bench and Bridge
It all ends at the Black Sabbath Bench and Bridge on Broad Street.
A low-key landmark turned pilgrimage site. Touring bands pass through and pay respect. Fans come to sit, pose, or reflect. This isn't just a nostalgia trip - it's a declaration.
A city not known for shouting about itself is finally embracing what it gave the world.
In a time of empty units and hollow slogans, this heavy metal heritage feels solid. It's more than tribute. It's part of Birmingham's cultural spine - hardwired into the streets, walls, and stations.
Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning concert
The original Black Sabbath - Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward - will play for the final time at their Back To The Beginning concert at Villa Park on July 5.
Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition
Free exhibition Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero, celebrating the solo achievements and global awards of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne and the album art of the original Black Sabbath, opened at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on June 25.
