It’s arguably Birmingham’s ultimate tourist stop – going up the observation tower at the Vulcan statue and looking out over the city from the observation deck.

But you can’t do it right now.

The observation tower has been closed to the public for eight months for weatherizing and repairs.

While visitors have still been able to visit Vulcan Park and tour the museum on the grounds, they’ve been prohibited from going up the elevator or climbing the stairs of the tower to the observation deck since June 5, 2023.

Rick Journey, a spokesman for the City of Birmingham, said work on the tower is expected to be completed by March.

The construction crew has experienced several delays due to weather, he said.

Maintenance on the 120-year-old iron man statue must be done periodically because of its constant exposure to weather conditions.

The Vulcan statue, a tribute to Birmingham’s booming iron and steel industry with a depiction of the Roman god of fire and forge, was created for the city’s exhibition at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.

It has undergone a number of renovations and restoration efforts since returning to Birmingham and going on public display.

Vulcan stood at the Alabama Fairgrounds from 1906 to 1936, before being moved atop Red Mountain. Vulcan’s sandstone pedestal was built in 1938 and Vulcan Park opened in 1939.

In 1946, a neon torch was put in his right hand. The torch normally glowed green, but turned red for 24 hours after each traffic fatality to highlight road safety.

From 1968 to 1972, another major renovation took place. A new marble cladding was added surrounding the sandstone pedestal to protect it from the elements. An elevator was added along with an enclosed observation deck at the top of the tower.

Vulcan was taken down in 1999 as part of another restoration project. The statue was repaired and painted, marble cladding was removed from the pedestal, the enclosed observation deck was removed and replaced with an open-air deck.

The statue re-opened to the public in 2003. When it’s open for a full year, Vulcan typically draws more than 160,000 visitors, with residents using it as the go-to place to give visitors the best view of the city and its history. It usually ranks behind only the Birmingham Zoo and the McWane Center as a tourist draw for the city, and has ranked as one of the top-ten paid tourist attractions in the state.

In place of the neon torch, Vulcan was re-fitted with a spear like the one he held at the World’s Fair.

During the recent restoration that started in June, the sandstone pedestal has been cleaned and a waterproofing sealant added to reduce water infiltration into the inner staircase and preserved marble landing.

“The amount of water seeping into the porous sandstone and mortar of the pedestal turned out to be more than anyone expected,” said Amanda Hare, director of marketing for Vulcan Park.

When a specific date is finalized for reopening, Vulcan Park will make an announcement, but that depends on weather and how the restoration proceeds, Hare said.

“That’s hard to say,” she said. “The dates we’ve been given by them just keep getting pushed back.”

Meanwhile, the view of the city from Kiwanis Centennial Plaza below Vulcan’s pedestal is still striking and worth the trip, but not quite as dramatic as from the elevated platform when the tower is open.