You’ve read the books, seen the movies, and lamented the conclusion of the most popular fantasy series in history. But the enchantment endures. In actuality, winter is the ideal season to curl up and rewatch your favorite movies. It’s also a fantastic time to relive some of the most famous moments in Harry Potter history by following in the footsteps of our favorite witches and wizards, if you want to come even closer to the magic.
That’s correct, with the UK hosting some of the most prominent Harry Potter events, the realm of witchcraft and wizardry is closer than you could have ever dreamed. Thus, take your wand, put on your invisibility cloak, and travel to the most enchanted Harry Potter filming sites in the UK.
The London Zoo
Returning to the original Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone film, an iconic scene takes place in the London Zoo’s Reptile House. The setting creates the impression that Harry is more than just your typical eleven-year-old when he speaks with snakes while out with the Dursleys.
The reason for the striking resemblance between Christ Church’s Great Hall and Hogwarts’ Great Hall is likely that the London studio recreated the scenario based on the opulent renaissance church. In the first two Harry Potter movies, the staircase that ascends to the Great Hall served as the setting for the moment where new Hogwarts students arrive.However, Goathland Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is possibly the most enchanted place of them. Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone used this location as Hogsmeade station. Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their initial entrance into the wizarding world of Hogwarts at the Hogwarts Express’s last stop.
London’s King’s Cross Station
King’s Cross station in London, which is home to the famous platform 9¾ where Harry hesitantly makes his way to The Hogwarts Express, is perhaps one of the most famous Harry Potter sites. For all of you Potter enthusiasts, the disappearing trolley offers the ideal photo opportunity. It is located in the arched wall between platforms 9, 10, and The busy towns of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish Highlands, the Loch Ness Monster, beaches, bagpipes, and legendary mountains can all be found in Scotland, the northernmost point of the United Kingdom. and a great deal of magic.
That’s correct, Scotland is home to numerous Harry Potter movie locations in addition to being the original writing location for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Do you think of yourself as an avid HP fan? You really ought to go to the Highlands immediately.
London’s St Pancras Stations
You won’t miss this amazing neo-gothic structure, St Pancras International, if you just walk next door. The outside of the building serves as the backdrop for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ scene where the Weasley family’s magical Ford Anglia takes off.
London’s Leadenhall Market
Lendenhall Market, one of the oldest markets in London, is well-known among us muggles, situated between Tower Hill and Bank. However, it also serves as the outside of the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley! Ollivanders may not have the perfect wand, but it’s still a nice place to buy for non-magic items and have a bite to eat.
Australia House, London
Australia House on the Strand in Central London is, in actuality, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the only bank known to exist in the wizarding world. Gringott’s Bank was modeled by this house’s Exhibition Hall, which features marble columns and chandeliers. Australia House, the Australian Embassy and a significant monument, was formally opened by King George V in 1918.
King George V lay the building’s foundation stone in 1913, but the structure wasn’t formally opened until August 1918. The passionate yells from the mostly Australian audience at the conclusion of the foundation stone ceremony were a big deal. “It began abruptly and drew into a long-drawn, plaintive cry, which swelled and died again and again, coming to Londoners’ ears with almost startling novelty, the Daily Express observed. The First World War’s impact on material transportation caused a delay in the building. Australian military men were billeted at the Australian YMCA Hut, which was located directly in the building’s backyard, during the construction phase. Later, the YMCA relocated to the nearby Aldwych and Strand theaters, which are located on either side of the Waldorf Hotel.
London’s Millennium Bridge
The Millennium Bridge, which appears in a gloomy and unsettling version of London in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is the location before death eaters destroy it. But fear not—the futuristic bridge that connects Bankside and the City of London is still standing strong owing to computer-generated imagery. At a vantage point along the Thames River, prepare for some breathtaking vistas.
Northumbrian castle, Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is the location where Harry and his classmates received their flying instruction from Madame Hooch. It was used for some of the exterior shots of Hogwarts Castle in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A plethora of medieval and magical activities are available within the castle, including Broomstick Training sessions for those who want to try out for the Quidditch team.
The second-largest inhabited castle in the United Kingdom is Alnwick Castle, after Windsor Castle. It was built as a military outpost and a film set over its lengthy history, which began in the eleventh century following the Norman Conquest. It is also regarded as one of the most important historical sites in northern England, having been designated as a Grade 1 listed structure.
The castle has been inhabited by the Percy family for the past 700 years and is still the home of the aristocratic Northumberland family. Part of the castle is occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, but the remaining portion is available for educational visits and public tours.
Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester
Three of the Harry Potter films use the gothic cathedrals’ fan vaulting architecture, which serves as the backdrop for numerous interior sequences at Hogwarts. The cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, which made its debut in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, are known for serving as Gryffindor’s passage, the scene where Moaning Myrtle flooded the restrooms and where the eerie phrase “The chamber of secrets has been opened” emerged.
Oxford’s Christ Church
The reason for the striking resemblance between Christ Church’s Great Hall and Hogwarts’ Great Hall is likely that the London studio recreated the scenario based on the opulent renaissance church. In the first two Harry Potter movies, the staircase that ascends to the Great Hall served as the setting for the moment where new Hogwarts students arrive.
On the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Goathland Station is possibly the most enchanted place of all. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, this location was changed to become Hogsmeade station. Harry, Hermione, and Ron entered the wizarding realm of Hogwarts for the first time at the Hogwarts Express’s last stop.
Café Elephant House
Claiming to be “The Birthplace of Harry Potter,” this was J.K. Rowling’s preferred coffee shop for inspiration. The Elephant House, with its stunning view of Edinburgh Castle, is the inspiration for the fantastical world of witches and wizards. Though a large portion of The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Chamber of Secrets were written here, J.K. Rowling really wrote the first few chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone at Spoon Café, which was formerly known as Nicholas Café. In any case, these cafés provide an opportunity to relax in the original setting while enjoying coffee and cakes, of course.
The lochaber Glenfinnan Viaduct Immediately recognizable from the opening scene of the Chamber of Secrets, the 380-meter-long and 31-meter-high Victorian Railway Bridge is all that’s lacking from this picture is Harry and Ron flying overhead in the Weasleys’ enchanted Ford Anglia. The Hogwarts Express stops on the bridge at the head of Loch Shiel, which is also the location of Harry’s first meeting with a Dementor in the Prisoner of Azkaban. The Jacobite Steam Train, dubbed “the greatest railway journey in the world,” will take you on an 84-mile round trip from Ben Nevis, stopping in the village of Glenfinnan and crossing the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct where you’ll get to enjoy the breathtaking scenic views, if you’re eager to relive this experience and risk running into a Dementor.
