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Where Did They Film Harry Potter Castle

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Shh Hogwarts Library And Infirmary: Bodleian Library And Christ Church College Oxford England

Harry Potter Filmmakers | Building the Hogwarts Castle w/ Robbie Scott

Oxford Universitys magnificent Bodleian Library, dating back to 1602, starred in three Harry Potter films. The medieval Duke Humfrey’s Library, part of the hallowed institution, was used as the Hogwarts library, whilst the elaborately vaulted Divinity School next door became Hogwarts hospital. Students were admitted for all sorts of scrapes, from falling off broomsticks to touching a cursed opal necklace.

At Christ Church College, a 10-minute walk away, you can see where we were first introduced to Hogwarts with Harry and the other first-year wizards ascending the 16th-century stone staircase to the Great Hall.

Hogwarts Halls In Oxford

If theres another city that stands out for its must-visit filming locations, it has to be Oxford. Specifically, Christ Church College, which was used as inspiration to create the Hogwarts Great Hall. Here, youll find the authentic stairs that lead to the castles dining room, where Minerva McGonagall welcomes new students.

The cloisters of New College and the Divinity School are other locations you can visit during the Oxford Harry Potter Tour. Youll see the School of Witchcraft and Wizardrys infirmary, the courtyards used for several film scenes, the Hogwarts library Youll be surprised!

Got More Time Bonus Stop For Your Harry Potter Walk In Oxford

Fancy seeing a game of real-life quidditch? Well, check out the Oxford Universities Quidditch Club. Mudbloods Muggles dash around the pitch in a real-life version of the fantasy game.

Im so sad that this didnt exist while I was up at Oxford running around with a pretend broomstick and slamming balls through Quidditch hoops sounds is exactly the kind of thing Id have spent my time doing.

And there we are, our self-guided Harry Potter walk in Oxford. I hope you have even a smidge of the fun following the tour that I did researching and writing it.

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Other Things To Do At Alnwick Castle

As well as the magical Harry Potter experiences, dont leave without checking out all that Alnwick Castle has to offer you.

In the Inner Bailey, they often have archery lessons if you wanted to try your hand at it like Robin Hood. Or, you can watch Jousting in the North during the summer!

Nearby is Dragon Quest that is also included in your ticket where you can help Henry Hotspur and the Dragon Catcher. Youll battle mystical forces and a terrifying dragon.

Dress up in medieval clothes, play medieval games and perfect your ancient crafting skills in the Artisans Courtyard.

Or, treat yourself to some lunch in the Courtyard Café.

A new thing that they have started doing is firing a replica Napoleonic cannon on select days of the year. This was something that would happen daily in the Georgian Era at the castle.

The Alnwick Castle staterooms are completely magnificent and they have some of the most gorgeous paintings and artefacts inside. The Percy family history dates back 700 years and so there are lots to see. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed.

Oh and keep your eyes peeled for the Alnwick Vampire! Legend has it that a servant who worked for the lord of the castle caught his wife having an affair. He jumped off the castle and broke his neck. They buried him but he was spotted walking around the town!

They have some spooky events to honour their haunted halls around Halloween.

Hogwarts Filming Locations In England

Legal Matters In Play At The Castle Used In Harry Potter ...
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Harry Potter is one of my favorite movie series and when I moved to England, I knew I had to visit EVERY HARRY POTTER FILMING LOCATION! Total fan girl here, no shame. Some of my favorite places to visit have been the Hogwarts filming locations because you literally feel like you are walking through the real Hogwarts! *insert fangirl scream*

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Go On An Alnwick Castle Harry Potter Tour

Although there isnt a dedicated Harry Potter tour as such, you can go on an Alnwick Castle Film Tour of the grounds while youre here.

This is a FREE guided tour that is included in your ticket entry. It will last 30-45 minutes and your guide will show you all of the film locations of Harry Potter and other movies.

Its really entertaining and comes with amazing commentary. So, dont miss out!

You dont need to book this beforehand, just turn up at the meeting point around the time of the tour. There will be boards with specific times that day.

This is weather permitting and tours do get extremely crowded. I think I saw at least 60 people in one during my visit.

The Setting For Hogwarts

A post shared by GO Voyages on Oct 25, 2018 at 2:04pm PDT

Push further into Scotland to see Glencoe where the dramatic landscapes round Hogwarts were filmed. You’ll recognise the Steall Falls at Glen Nevis from the Tri-Wizard Tournament in the Goblet of Fire . The rugged beauty and natural drama of the Scottish Highlands are the perfect background for the first two Harry Potter films – where the Quidditch matches were filmed against the backdrop of Glen Nevis .

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Charming Snakes: Reptile House London Zoo England

Harry first discovered his gift for talking with snakes, in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, at London Zoo‘s Reptile House. In the scene, Daniel Radcliffe speaks to an enormous Burmese python, but the enclosure filmed is actually home to the venomous black mamba, recognisable for its distinctive inky black mouth.

But dont leave it at that. London Zoo is the worlds oldest scientific zoo, dating back to 1828, and offers all sorts of incredible animal experiences. Once youve seen the snakes, immerse yourself in a butterfly paradise or get up close to big cats in the Land of the Lions.

Entrance To King’s Cross Station

Alnwick Castle Filming | Harry Potter | Downton Abbey | Elizabeth | The Hollow Crown

Movie: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Shot: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel was used as the entrance to King’s Cross station in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets.

Closest tube station: King’s Cross St. Pancras, 5 min walk

Cost: Free

Did you know? The Renaissance Hotel has been seen worldwide by millions as a filming location for not only Harry Potter films, but also 102 Dalmatians, Batman, Richard III …and many more.

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Where To Stay When Exploring Harry Potter Sites

The majority of the filming locations are in northwestern Scotland, around the Highlands town of Fort William. This is where we would recommend basing yourself if you want to explore a number of these locations over a couple of days.

Fort William is also where The Jacobite steam train starts its journey. It is a pleasant town offering museums, a historical fort park, restaurants, and a pleasant walkable city center area. It is within a relatively short drive of Glencoe and Ben Nevis, and there are a number of hiking, skiing, and water activities in the area.

The town is easy to access by car, bus, or train, and is even a stop on the Caledonian Sleeper.

You can also search a full list of lodging options here, but here are a few suggested accommodation options to check out in and around Fort William across budgets:

Edinburgh can be a good base if you are just looking to do a day trip from Edinburgh to see some of the Harry Potter filming spot highlights. If you are wanting to explore by taking a tour, the majority of tours leave from Edinburgh although you can also find tours from Glasgow and Inverness.

Here are a several lodging options in Edinburgh we recommend for Harry Potter fans :

Christ Church College Bodley Staircase

Whenever I hunt out filming locations, one thing I always love seeing is how films and TV programmes use the same spaces for different purposes. I saw it with the Game of Thrones filming locations in Dubrovnik and Christ Churchs Harry Potter filming locations are no different.

The Bodley staircase, leading up to Christ Church hall is one such location.

The top of the staircase is used in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone when the new first years walk up to Hogwarts for the first time and are welcomed by Professor McGonagall.

We also see them return to this spot at the end of the film after theyve defeated Quirrell and Voldemort and are about to head home.

The bottom of the stairs are used in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets both as the spot where Harry and Ron are collared by Argus Filch after their escapade with the flying car and also where Harry meets Tom Riddle.

Visiting Christ Church? Make time to visit the Christ Church Picture Gallery, which is one of Oxfords best museums.

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Harry Potter Uk Filming Locations By Scene

In this guide Ive listed the Harry Potter locations by real world filming locations. However, if you would prefer them listed based on the scene of each film, heres a list to help you do just that. This includes entries from this guide, as well as our comprehensive guide to Harry Potter filming locations in London and in Scotland.

  • Diagon Alley Leadenhall Market, London. Borough Market, London
  • Platform Nine and Three Quarters Kings Cross Station, London
  • Gringotts Bank Australia House, London
  • Ministry of Magic Scotland Place, London
  • Hogwarts Infirmary Divinity School, Oxford
  • Hogwarts Library Duke Humfreyâs Library, Oxford
  • Hogwarts Hallways New College & Christ Church College , Oxford. Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester. Durham Cathedral, Durham. Lacock Abbey, Lacock.
  • Hogwarts Exteriors Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
  • Broomstick lessons at Hogwarts Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
  • Hogwarts Classrooms Lacock Abbey, Lacock, Durham Cathedral, Durham
  • Lily and James Potterâs House in Godricâs Hollow Lacock
  • Budleigh Babberton Lacock
  • Harry and Hermiones Camp Malham Cove, North Yorkshire
  • Hogsmeade train station Goathland Train Station, Yorkshire
  • Hogwarts Express Scenery Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scottish Highlands
  • Hagridâs Hut Clachaig Gully, Glencoe, Scotland
  • Dobbys Grave Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales
  • Dumbledores Grave Loch Eilt, Scotland

Harry Potter Tour Oxford: Practical Tips

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  • Wear comfortable shoes. Oxfords cobbled streets might be beautiful but they can be killers on your feet. You dont want to be the person hobbling around halfway through the day.
  • The colleges have very specific hours when they are open to the public. I have included links to their websites but check before you go. As a rule, theyre more likely to be open in the afternoon, so I would start your Harry Potter walk around Oxford in the afternoon.
  • You do have to pay for entrance to the colleges and the Divinity School and Duke Humphreys Library can only be accessed on a Bodleian tour factor that into your costs.
  • Oxford is an easy day trip from London. If its your first time visiting the city, I would recommend staying at least one night as theres so much to explore.
  • While there is plenty of accommodation dotted around Oxford, you can actually stay in many Oxford University colleges outside of term-time for a real Oxford experience .

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Platform : Kings Cross Station London England

The Hogwarts Express departs from Platform 9¾ of Kings Cross Station, which is actually the arched wall between platforms 4 and 5.

Or, head towards the entrance to platforms 9, 10 and 11 on the west side of the station where youll find a trolley disappearing into the magical realm through a wall marked Platform 9 ¾. To help you get into character theres a shop selling fun accessories from round Harry Potter specs to Hufflepuff hair scrunchies.

Outside is the Neo-Gothic facade of St Pancras where the Weasley’s magical Ford Anglia, with its powers of invisibility, takes off in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Goathland Station North Yorkshire

But perhaps the most magical location of all is Goathland Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This setting was transformed into Hogsmeade station in Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone. The final stop for the Hogwarts Express saw Harry, Hermione and Ron step out into the wizarding world of Hogwarts for the very first time.

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Where Was The The Leaky Cauldron Filmed

In the first film the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron was filmed in Leandenhall Market in London. Leandenhall Market was built in the late 19th century and is a beautiful example of a Victorian market. Also this was the location for some exterior Diagon Alley scenes. In the Prisoner of Azkaban film they used Borough Market and the interior shots were done in the Leavesden Film Studios.

Borough Market

Which Of The Harry Potter Movies Was Filmed At Alnwick Castle

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There were two Harry Potter movies filmed at Alnwick Castle.

The first was Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in 2001 or for you Americans out there that would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.

The second movie was also filmed here that was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002.

Alnwick Castle was used for the interior and exterior of Hogwarts castle in both movies.

This is where Harry and his friends would fly their broomsticks, learn quidditch and also where they would secretly escape to Hagrids Hut in the wilderness!

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Alnwick Castle Location & How To Get There

Alnwick Castle is located in Alnwick in Northumberland and can be accessed less than a mile off the A1 motorway.

Once you take the slipway, its really well signposted the whole way throughout the town and youll arrive on Denwick Lane on the B1340 road. Plug in NE66 1YU into your SatNav.

Parking will cost £3 for an all-day spot that is payable in CASH ONLY.

If you plan on arriving on public transport, you get an added benefit of 20% off your castle ticket when you show proof. So, remember to present your bus or train tickets when at the ticket desk.

Alnwick Castle by train: the nearest railway station is Alnmouth. From here you can take a bus or taxi to the castle.

Alnwick Castle by bus: There are plenty of bus services that connect with Alnwick bus station, some front the city of Newcastle.

Fancy a tour instead? If youre on holiday and wanted to cover a few spots. There are a couple of tours that run out of Edinburgh to Alnwick Castle and even Holy Island.

Staircases Ascending From The Seventh

Main article:Astronomy Tower

The Astronomy Tower was the tallest tower at Hogwarts Castle, surrounded by a parapet and turret. It is where students studied the stars and planets through their telescopes in Astronomy lessons with ProfessorAurora Sinistra. This was usually done at midnight when the stars were best seen. The tower was usually out-of-bounds except for classes. All the way down from the boathouse, one could see the huge window of the Astronomy Tower. Located within this tower was the Astronomy Corridor, Astronomy reading room, Astronomy classroom, Astronomy stairwell, Astronomy department and the Astronomy Room. In 1997, Hogwarts’ headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was killed here on this tower by his eventual successor, Severus Snape. However, it was planned between Dumbledore and Snape to spare Draco Malfoy being a murderer and spare the headmaster from a slow painful death. This was because Dumbledore’s hand was affected by a dangerous curse created by Tom Marvolo Riddle, to protect his Horcrux .

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England Harry Potter Locations

More iconic scenes were filmed around England. London is known to be the stage of Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾, at Kings Cross Station. If you go there today, you can actually find a cart field with luggage half way through the wall ready to embark the Hogwarts Express. The exterior of this station was in fact recorded at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

Leadenhall market in London became Diagon Alley and the junction of Scotland Place and Great Scotland Yard was where Harry Potter and Mr Weasley entered the phone box descending into the Ministry of Magic. A curious fact about this scene is that there arent in fact any phone boxes at this junction.

In England, there are other iconic locations where this movie takes place. The most fascinating one is Alnwick Castle, in the county of Northumberland. It is here the most famous exterior shots of Hogwarts were recorded.

Oxford was where the extraordinary Triwizard Tournament took place. in honour of this, the city of Oxford hosts, every year, a 3 day long murder mistery game at the Cloisters, during Easter holidays.

Salisbury and Gloucester are also set locations. The former is where Professor Snapes class of potions was shot, Lacock Abbey. The latter was the city in which the Cathedrals Cloisters were used in various occasions as the interior set of Hogwarts.

Leadenhall Market London England

Mary

A post shared by Leadenhall Market on May 18, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

The entrance to wizards pub the Leaky Cauldron is in real life an optician’s in Bulls Head Passage, which you can find in Leadenhall Market in the City of London. Leadenhall is a superb example of a Victorian covered market with an ornate painted roof.

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University Of Oxford Oxfordshire

Which films?

  • Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Look out for:

Bodleian Library, which served as several Harry Potter filming locations, such as the Hogwarts infirmary in the first movie and the restricted section in the library where Harry tries to borrow a book after hours.

The New College cloisters were where Malfoy is turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody in the fourth movie.

And Christ Church College was used throughout so many of the movies. For instance, this was where Professor McGonagall met the students for the first time, and where Hermione showed the Quidditch trophy that has Harrys fathers name on it.

How to visit:

So that you can see as many of these filming locations as you can, youre best embarking on a Harry Potter walking tour.

Address:

University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2JD

Other things to do in Oxford:

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