In the centre of Birmingham, guarded by stone temple dogs, there stands a seven-storey Chinese pagoda, which marks the gateway to the city's Chinese Quarter. The pagoda was a gift from Wing Yip and his brothers as a thank you to the people of Birmingham, the city that provided a home for themselves, their families and their business. Situated at Holloway Circus in the middle of Birmingham’s main arterial road close to the new Bull Ring Shopping Centre, the pagoda has become such an important landmark that it is now generally known by everyone in the city as the ‘Pagoda Island’. A plaque at the foot of the pagoda details the story of how it came about. When the pagoda arrived in the United Kingdom at Felixstowe it was transported to Birmingham via road and the load was so wide, roads had to be closed to allow it to reach its final destination. The scheme was implemented by Birmingham City Council. 
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A Gift to Birmingham Standing at 40 feet or seven storeys high, the Wing Yip Pagoda was a heartfelt gift from Wing Yip to the City of Birmingham in 1998
Local landmark The pagoda was hand-carved from granite in Fujian Province in China and shipped in sections to Birmingham where it was assembled on site |
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