Birmingham, AL is home to the largest cast iron statue in the world – Vulcan. Vulcan (Roman God of the Forge) was created in Birmingham to represent the city as a powerhouse in iron and steel manufacturing. He was first seen at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis where he won first prize at the Palace of Minds and Metallurgy. It was then returned to Birmingham. Final resting place – very uncertain. For eighteen months, the statue sat disassembled on Red Mountain. In 1906 he was finally pieced together for a temporary exhibit at the state fair. This temporary exhibit, with some pieces incorrectly assembled, remained on the display for 30 years. Following his state fair exhibit, the statue was moved to the top of a hundred foot tower on Red Mountain. In 1971, the park was “modernized” adding a visitor center, observation tower, and a marble facade that covered the existing tower. Vulcan deteriorated over time, and the site was closed in 1999. The statue was disassembled, fortified, and in 2003 finally restored to its original sandstone tower.

Vulcan atop his sandstone tower

Tower Base

Vulcan’s view of Birmingham