Welcome to the Places of Worship Heritage Trail. We hope you’ll enjoy your walk around Smethwick, Handsworth and Lozells learning about the rich variety of religious communities who live alongside one another in a, relatively, small area.

The trail will take you through a culturally diverse area, so as well as the places of worship you will encounter people, shops, food and clothing from around the world that have all made their home in this part of Birmingham. Whilst the trails are focussed on small areas it reflects the diversity that is found across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Before you head out please take a few minutes to read these tips to keep you safe and help you to have an enjoyable walk. The entire route is just under 2 miles so allow about an hour and a half for your walk, which will give you time to stop and take notice of what you are seeing.

• Check the route before you go so you don’t get lost
• Wear some comfortable shoes and take waterproofs if needed
• Be aware of your surroundings, particularly when crossing roads
• Always stop walking when reading the map
• Be considerate of other people if walking in a big group or stopping to read the information
• Make sure the leader is wearing a high-vis vest and knows the names of everyone in the group
• Stay together throughout the walk
• Make sure everyone is aware of this information

Enjoy yourselves and make the most of being in the area, why not stop for food or a drink at one of the many cafés on route.

At each place of worship we will give you some information about the building, the community that worships there and a short story of one member of that faith community. 

As you’ll see many of the buildings were constructed around the same time at the end of the 19th Century. This was due to the huge number of workers coming to Birmingham for jobs in the factories, especially metal working.

Feel free to print copies of the maps if you find that easier. If you view on a mobile phone the various landmarks are clickable for more information.

If you want to know the best way to fold your map, you can see instructions here