Birmingham: Black Sabbath Bench
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Birmingham: Black Sabbath Bench is temporarily offline
The camera operator's stream is down right now. We check this cam every hour and the page comes back automatically the moment it returns.
Few benches anywhere have a fan base. This one does. Set beside the canal on Birmingham's Broad Street, the Black Sabbath Bench honours the four local men who invented heavy metal, and it has become a pilgrimage stop for visitors from across the world. The camera keeps a steady eye on it, day and night, as the city moves past.
Why Birmingham? Black Sabbath came out of Aston, and Birmingham has slowly learned to celebrate that. The bench sits in one of the city's busiest stretches, where the canal towpath meets bars, hotels and bridges. Watching it means watching two things at once: a quiet monument to a band, and a working city centre going about its evening.
Black Sabbath Bench highlights: As you enjoy the live view, be sure to look out for:
- Fan Photo Stops: Visitors arrive in ones and twos to sit on the bench, throw devil horns and have their picture taken for the internet.
- Canalside Traffic: Walkers, cyclists and the occasional narrowboat pass along the water behind the bench, especially on bright weekend afternoons.
- Night On Broad Street: After dark the surrounding lights come up and the pavement fills with people heading between Birmingham's bars and venues.
Beyond the Bench: Broad Street runs into the city centre, with the canal network spreading out towards Brindleyplace and the ICC. Within a short walk you find the Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square and the tangle of towpaths that once carried the city's industry. It is a compact, walkable slice of Birmingham.
Thanks to the operator who keeps this camera pointed at a small piece of music history. Streaming an unassuming bench around the clock is an unusual act of generosity, and it lets fans who may never reach Birmingham share the spot with those who do.
Tune in and see who turns up at heavy metal's most photographed seat, whether it is midday sunshine or a wet Birmingham night.

