Option E: The Stairway Leading To The Divination Tower
If youre looking for the beautiful staircase leading up to Professor Trelawneys Divination classroom at Hogwarts, guess what? Its in London!
This grand, cantilevered staircase can be found in the south-west tower of St Pauls Cathedral yes, one of the most famous cathedrals in the city.
You might recognize it from the scenes in Prisoner of Azkaban when the students are leaving Divination Class and also when Harry heads back up and Trelawney has her scary prophecy thing about Voldemorts servant breaking free.
Top Sights Where Harry Potter Was Filmed
Harry Potter’s story is set in a magical, largely fictional Britain, but the film series used many real locations as evocative backdrops. Other settings, like Diagon Alley, exist only at Leavesden Film Studios .
Many of the real-life filming sites are closed to visitors, far out of the way for most travelers, or an unmagical disappointment in person for all but the most committed fan. But plenty of locations are worth visiting for their own sake these are my top picks.
London
Harry first realizes his wizard powers in The Sorcerer’s Stone when talking with a snake at the London Zoo’s Reptile House.
When Hagrid takes Harry shopping for school supplies, they enter the glass-roofed Leadenhall Market and approach the storefront at 42 Bull’s Head Passage the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub .
Harry catches the Hogwarts Express train at King’s Cross Station. Inside the glass-roofed train station, on a pedestrian sky bridge over the tracks, Hagrid gives Harry a train ticket. Harry finds his way to the magical platform 9¾ with some help, but these days it’s well-signed, with a luggage cart that looks like it’s disappearing into the wall, and a cleverly located gift shop. Expect a 30-minute wait for a photo with the cart.
In The Prisoner of Azkaban , The Leaky Cauldron’s exterior was shot on rough-looking Stoney Street, at the southeast edge of Borough Market, near The Market Porter pub. En route there, the Knight Bus squeezes between Muggle buses on Lambeth Bridge .
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Harry Potter And The Cursed Child
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It’s Time to Believe in Magic
A newly staged, one show magical experience will arrive at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre on May 31, 2022.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child originally cast a spell over the world as an epic two-part event. Now, the show has been boldly restaged as one singular performance by the award-winning creative team. With just one ticket in hand, audiences will enjoy all the adventure the continuation of Harry’s story entails in one magical afternoon or evening.
19 years after Harry, Ron and Hermione saved the wizarding world, theyre back on a most extraordinary new adventure this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany.
The Toronto production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by David Mirvish, Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.
Harry Potter Faq
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He Never Graduated From Hogwarts
Before the epilogue for TheDeathly Hallows, Ron and Hermione stand by Harry as he destroys the Elder Wand.
After that, the epilogue shows them as adults putting their children on the Hogwarts Express, but it was never really revealed in the books or movies if they returned to school themselves.
While many of Harrys classmates returned to Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their final year, Harry was not one of them.
In an interview for Pottermore, Rowling explained that Ron and Harry both never graduated from Hogwarts, but Hermione went back to earn her N.E.W.T.s.
It isnt surprising that neither Ron or Harry finished their schooling, and it makes sense why Hermione would feel the need to finish hers.
He Maintained A Relationship With Dudley
Harry never really got along with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and his cousin Dudley.
He was often treated horribly by his relatives who justified their actions by explaining that they took Harry in when he was a baby and that he never fit in.
Dudley was often mean to his cousin even though Harry never did anything to upset him.
After the last Harry Potter book was released, J.K. Rowling revealed what happened to Harry and Dudleys relationship.
In a Q& A back in 2007 with MTV, Rowling explained that the cousins never really became good friends, but would visit one another so that their children could spend time with their own cousins.
Rowling compared this to being on Christmas-card terms with someone.
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Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Can’t get enough of the fantastical creatures that fill Harry Potter‘s pages? You’re in luck. As detailed by J.K. Rowling , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the definitive compendium to the magical beasts that roam the wizarding world. You’ll find some familiar companions such as the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail but you’ll also discover many, many new creatures to befriend. This is the text that inspired the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie trilogy, so if you’re looking to catch up on the source, this is where to start!
The Hill School Pennsylvania
With a campus spanning more than 200 acres, the Hill School has two artificial turf fields and several faculty homes. The nearest town is Pottstown, the home to 22,000 residents, which easily compares to Hogsmeade near Hogwarts where young wizards and witches got their fill of butterbeer.
A post shared by The Hill School on Oct 15, 2020 at 1:56pm PDT
The community spirit is strong here, as are teacher-pupil relations, comparable to those of Hogwarts. Seated meals in the dining hall, a dress code, and sixth form tea are some of the traditions here. Now all it needs is a Divinations class where your fortune is read in your tea leaves for the full Hogwarts social vibes.
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Diagon Alley At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter 2022
The second land added to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is Diagon Alley . If you are entering from the front of the park walk straight until you hit the Revenge of the Mummu attraction and make a right, then continue until you see the Knight Bus. The area outside of Diagon Alley is themed to fill like London, and you will need to make your way through the brick wall until it opens up as Diagon Alley.
Be prepared especially if you are a die hard Harry Potter fan as the attention to detail is unmatched in Diagon Alley. You will be in the middle of shops and cooked buildings, as well a fire breathing dragon nestled over Gringotts Bank!
He Restored Snapes Portrait
Harry and Snape always had a complicated relationship in both the books and the movies.
Harry and his friends often thought that Snape was behind the evil doings at Hogwarts, especially after he ended Dumbledores life.
While Snape was often thought to be a villain, it is revealed in The Deathly Hallows that Snape had been a double agent working for Dumbledore doing whatever it took to protect Harry.
Harry realizes this before Snape passes away and, according to J.K. Rowling, ensures that Snape has his Headmaster portrait put back up in the Headmasters Office.
After all, he may have seemed vile during his time as Headmaster, but it was really just a show.
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He Was Given Sirius Motorcycle
Not very many people are aware, but the motorbike that Hagrid drives in The Sorcerers Stone actually belongs to Sirius Black.
He borrowed it from Sirius in order to drive Harry to 4 Privet Drive. Years later, Hagrid drives Harry away from Privet Drive in The Order of the Phoenix in the same bike but is attacked by Death Eaters.
The bike is seemingly destroyed, but Mr. Weasley salvages the bike and eventually is able to repair it.
The books explain how much Sirius loved his motorbike so it only makes sense that it would eventually go to Harry, according to J.K Rowling.
Sirius was said to have a lot of fun with the motorbike, so hopefully Harry will be seen flying it in a future movie.
Do All British Wizards Go To Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the best school of wizardry in Great Britain, according to Rubeus Hagrid. In fact, the author has implied that it is the only school of wizardry in Britain while every Wizarding child can go to Hogwarts, the author states that not all do choose to do so.
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What Tickets To Buy For Harry Potter World In 2022
As we discussed, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is in two different parks which means you will need the right tickets to allow you entry to both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. You will need to purchase a park to park option when obtaining your Universal Orlando ticket package. There are a few different ways to purchase the correctUniversal Orlando tickets including Harry Potter World . Below are the most common questions we receive when purchasing Universal tickets to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
Option E: The Great Lake
Over the years, production managers have used a variety of locations for Hogwarts Great Lake.
Tracking down a place that properly looks like the lake though might be a challenge, given that theyd often used a clever mix of Virginia Lake in Surrey, England , mixed in with composite background shots from famous Scottish lakes.
So, really, the Great Lake is a bunch of lakes kinda mushed together.
Nonetheless, the Virginia Water Lake in Surrey, England is easily recognizable as where, in Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry flies with Buckbeak and later fights off dementors by the lake.
Its also seen prominently in some of the scenes in Goblet of Fire, like during the second Triwizard Cup challenge, and for a few other scenes like Neville fishing/Harry reading when Hermione comes and has to pass messages between Harry and Ron.
But yes, the majority of the super dramatic landscapes you see in the films, especially lake-related ones, make use of background shots from Scotland, including Loch Shiel, Loch Eilt, and Loch Arkaig.
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He Still Had Nightmares About Voldemort
Sending a child off to school can be a stressful time for any parent. While Harry loved his time at Hogwarts, he was also forced to grow up much faster than most kids because of his conflict with Lord Voldemort.
Coming face-to-face with the man who ended his parents had to be tough enough, but Voldemort was also able to read Harrys mind and even possess him.
Because of their history, its not surprising that Harry would have nightmares about Voldemort even after he defeated him. This is elaborated upon in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when Harry begins to worry that Voldemort may be returning.
Voldemort possibly could have returned if Delphi had her way, but thankfully Voldemort only remains in Harrys dreams.
Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter A Separate Ticket
It is important to know if youre planning a trip to Harry Potter World, access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is included with any valid Universal Orlando ticket. It is important to know that, if you purchase a one day ticket ticket to Universal Studios, then your entry to Diagon Alley will be included in that ticket. If you purchase a one day ticket to Islands of Adventure, your entry to Hogsmeade will be included in that ticket.
If you want to visit both parks in the same trip, consider buying a park to park ticket to Universal Orlando. That will allow you unlimited access between the two parks for the length of your ticket.
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Other Locations On The Sixth Floor
- Main article:Filius Flitwick’s office
The Ravenclaw Head’s office was the thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. The office contained portraits, a desk, and sleeping quarters. This was where Sirius Black was held captive, awaiting the Dementor’s Kiss in 1993. He was rescued by Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, and escaped on Buckbeak the Hippogriff.
Harry Potter Fans Can Now Enrol As A Student At A Real
Looks like you’ll be getting that owl with an acceptance letter after all.
If you never leave the house without your Time-Turner, are always down for a drunken game of Wizard Chess, and have been clinging onto any hope that Harry Potter isn’t entirely fictional then listen up!
There’s now a real-life Hogwarts opening in the UK and it’s magical.
Inspired by the success of similar schools and based on J.K. Rowling’s world-famous series of books, Bothwell School of Witchcraft at the scenic Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex will open its doors this summer.
So if you’ve been suffering the annual disappointment of not receiving an owl with your acceptance letter for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry then this is clearly the next best thing…
Forget fighting with other fans to pose with a Butterbeer by Dursleys front door at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London, this 15th-century castle offers a three-day stay, full board, and the chance to attend an ACTUAL banquet because, we all know there was never a shortage of food at Hogwarts, ain’t that right Ron?!
In all Sirus-ness, the magical weekend-long event runs much like a murder mystery where guests will be given a character and role to play as well as being sorted into a house and studying the fine art of magic…
“We were lucky that Herstmonceux Castle had a cancellation allowing us to book it for the event.
We can’t wait for Dumbledore’s end-of-term speech…
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The Muggle Prime Minister
The , referred to as the Muggle Prime Minister by wizards, receives a visit from and in the opening chapter of . Using a series of flashbacks, Rowling describes how the Prime Minister is aware of the existence of the wizarding world, through several meetings with Fudge that include his first night as Prime Minister and other occasions during which Fudge informed him of ‘s escape from , of the incident in the World Cup, of importation of dragons and a sphinx for the Triwizard Tournament and finally of the mass break-out from Azkaban . Rowling intended to include the Prime Minister scene in earlier books, but she thought that it could not properly fit until the sixth book.
In the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Prime Minister recalls his day, during which one of his political opponents had been criticising him and his government for several catastrophes that have recently happened in Britain. Readers discover a little later during the discussion with Fudge, that these catastrophes are, in fact, the doings of Voldemort and his followers. He also discovers that he is protected by an who now works in his office, .
Tragedy Also Followed Rowena Ravenclaw
Rowena Ravenclaw was the greatest witch of her time a figure famed for her intelligence and wit and that was before she wore her enchanted diadem, which was said to enhance the wisdom of the wearer. Such a witch casts a long shadow, one her daughter Helena found it difficult to escape from. Envying her mothers status and power, she betrayed her by stealing the diadem believing it could make her powerful and ran away from Hogwarts. The betrayal embarrassed Rowena, who told no one, including her fellow founders, that the diadem was missing.
On her death bed, she sent a young man to find Helena, so she could see her daughter for one last time. That young man, who had long been infatuated with Helena, tracked her down to a forest in Albania… but ending up killing her when she rejected his advances. His real name is unknown, but youll recognise him by his post-mortem moniker, the Bloody Baron.
Rowena Ravenclaw died soon after. Legend has it that the cause of death was a broken heart.
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Visiting The Hogwarts Hospital Wing
While in Oxford, you can also pop into the Hogwarts infirmary, which filmed on location at the Oxford Divinity School with its exquisite fan vaulting.
Scenes at the Infirmary for the first two films were shot on location .
It also makes a small cameo appearance in Goblet of Fire, in the scene where McGonagall has to teach the students how to dance leading up to the Yule Ball.
The infirmary was subsequently recreated at Leavesden Studios for its later appearances from the Prisoner of Azkaban onwards.
I got to sneak a peek at this while I was in Oxford and while it looks very different than in the film , it was still a gorgeous stop.
Option A: Gloucester Cathedral
This is one Hogwarts filming location youll recognize right away because many interior shots for Hogwarts were filmed at Gloucester Cathedral for the first two Harry Potter films.
You can read my full guide to the Gloucester Cathedral/Harry Potter connection here, but most notably, you see this gorgeous cathedral in Philosophers Stone during the troll scenes when Percys freaking out and leading the mini-Gryffindors back to their common room, when Harry and Ron break off to look for Hermione, and in Chamber of Secrets when the bloody words first appear and they find Filchs petrified cat.
You also get a very clear view of it when Moaning Myrtle has flooded the bathroom and they pan to all the water on the ground
The Cathedral makes an additional appearance in Half-Blood Prince, during the scene where Harry overhears Malfoy and Snape bickering about how Snape had sworn to protect Malfoy, but Malfoy he didnt need protection, unbreakable vow, yada yada yada
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