FAQ | Harry Potter Places

This page is populated with the answers to the most commonly-asked Harry Potter Place questions. If you have a special Harry Potter Place question not found below—or a Harry Potter Place comment/correction to offer—please use the Owl Post contact form to reach us. OR, go to the Harry Potter Places Facebook page and post your question/comment there!

Where is Hogwarts’ Castle?
Where is Platform Nine and Three Quarters?
Where is Diagon Alley?
Where is Godric’s Hollow?
Where is Hogwarts’ Great Hall?
Where is that Bridge the Death Eaters destroyed in Half-Blood Prince?
Where is that Bridge the Hogwarts Express is so often seen crossing over?
Where is the Forbidden Forrest?
Where is the Forest of Dean?
Where is #12 Grimmauld Place?
Where is Gringotts Bank?
Where is Hagrid’s Hut?
Where is Hermione’s Home (as seen in Deathly Hallows Part One)?
Where is Hogsmead Station?
Where did J.K. Rowling live when writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone?
Where did J.K. Rowling finish writing the last Harry Potter book (Deathly Hallows)?
Where does J.K. Rowling live now?
Where is the Leaky Cauldron?
Where is the Little Whinging Zoo?
Where is Malfoy Manor?
Where is the Ministry of Magic?
Where is #4 Privet Drive?
Where is the place that Professor Dumbledore was buried in the movie?
Where is Professor Flitwick’s Classroom?
Where is Professor Snape’s Potions Classroom?
Where is Shell Cottage?
Where is that Weird Stone Formation camp site seen in Deathly Hallows Part One?

Where is Hogwarts’ Castle?: According to J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is located in the Scottish West Highlands (HPP Book Five, Part Two). As for the Hogwarts’ Castle seen on screen, no other Potterverse place has been filmed in so many different locales! Hogwarts Castle interior scenes were shot in numerous UK locations, including—but not limited to—London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and Harrow School (HPP Book One, Sites #6 & #25), the city of Oxford (HPP Book Two, Sites #30 & #31), Lacock Abbey and Gloucester Cathedral (HPP Book Three, Sites #40 & #39), and Durham Cathedral (HPP Book Four, Site #45). Hogwarts Castle exterior scenes have also been filmed in multiple UK locations, such as Alnwick Castle (HPP Book Four, Site #44) and several places in the Scottish West Highlands (HPP Book Five, Part Two). Bottom Line: there is no single site where you can visit Hogwarts Castle.

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Where is Platform Nine and Three Quarters?: As written by J.K. Rowling, and filmed by Warner Bros., Platform 9¾ is found within London’s King’s Cross Railway Station: HPP Book One, Site #16.

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Where is Diagon Alley?: The Diagon Alley Wizard Entrance seen on screen in Half-Blood Prince was filmed just off of Charing Cross Road in London: HPP Book One, Site #3. But, the best place to experience Diagon-Alley-like streets and staircases is the city of Edinburgh: HPP Book Five, Part One.

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Where is Godric’s Hollow?: Godric’s Hollow background plates for Deathly Hallows Part One were filmed in the most distant Side-Along Apparation from London: Lavenham, England (HPP Book One, Site #19). Another UK film site that readily represents the architecture and ambience of Godric’s Hollow is Lacock Village (HPP Book Three, Site#40).

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Where is Hogwarts’ Great Hall?: The original design of the famous Hogwarts Great Hall set that was seen in all eight Harry Potter movies—a set preserved for the Harry Potter WB Studio Tour (HPP Book One, Site #27)—was based on the real-life Dining Hall found in Oxford’s Christ Church College: HPP Book Two, Site #31.

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Where is that Bridge the Death Eaters destroyed in Half-Blood Prince?: The Millennium Footbridge is in London: HPP Book One, Site #1.

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Where is that Bridge the Hogwarts Express is so often seen crossing over?: The Glenfinnan Viaduct is near Loch Shiel in Scotland: HPP Book Five, Site #61.

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Where is the Forbidden Forrest?: Several English forests were used for filming Forbidden Forrest scenes over the years. The most recognizable Forbidden Forrest film site is Virginia Water Lake: HPP Book Three, Site #43.

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Where is the Forest of Dean?: The Forest of Dean is a real-life place found in southern England, just southwest of Gloucester, on the border of Wales: HPP Book Three, Site #37.

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Where is #12 Grimmauld Place?: Long an Unplottable location protected by real-life Confundus Charms, #12 Grimmauld Place is London’s Claremont Square: HPP Book One, Site #15.

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Where is Gringotts Bank?: It’s the Australian Embassy in London: HPP Book One, Site #5.

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Where is Hagrid’s Hut?: The Hagrid’s Hut set used for filming Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets was erected in a forest clearing of England’s Iver Black Park (HPP Book Three, Site #35). The most familiar Hagrid’s Hut—the one seen in Prisoner of Azkaban and all subsequent Harry Potter movies—was a set originally erected and filmed across the road from the Clachaig Inn in Scotland: HPP Book Five, Site #58. Beginning with Half-Blood Prince, however, Hagrid’s Hut was a Leavesden Studio backlot set. Happily, that set was preserved and is on display at the Harry Potter WB Studio Tour (HPP Book One, Site #27)

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Where is Hermione’s Home (as seen in Deathly Hallows Part One)?: It’s in the Borough of Barnet, just outside Central London—a London Side-Along Apparation: HPP Book One, Site #21.

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Where is Hogsmead Station?: Over the years, Hogsmead Station has been filmed at several sites in England and Scotland. But, the very first—the best-loved and most recognizable—Hogsmead Station film site is Goathland Railway Station in northeastern England: HPP Book Four, Site #46.

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Where did J.K. Rowling live when writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone? Where did J.K. Rowling finish writing the last Harry Potter book (Deathly Hallows)? Where does J.K. Rowling live now?: All of these places are found in the city of Edinburgh: Part One of Harry Potter Places Book Five—Scotland: Hogwarts’ Home.

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Where is the Leaky Cauldron?: There are two Leaky Cauldron film sites in London: Leadenhall Market for Sorcerer’s Stone (HPP Book One, Site #8) and Borough Market for Prisoner of Azkaban (HPP Book One, Site #7).

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Where is the Little Whinging Zoo?: Little Whinging Zoo Sorcerer’s Stone scenes were filmed at the London Zoo’s Reptile House: HPP Book One, Site #9.

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Where is Malfoy Manor?: Hardwick Hall is one of England’s finest surviving Elizabethan country houses. In 2009, several exterior background plates were filmed here and subsequently CGI-enhanced to create the Malfoy Manor exterior images seen on screen. Still photographs of several rooms within Hardwick Hall were also shot in 2009. Those pix significantly influenced interior Malfoy Manor set designs. Hardwick Hall—aka Malfoy Manor—is located in the Derbyshire area of northern England: HPP Book Four, Site #47.

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Where is the Ministry of Magic?: Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part One Ministry of Magic area exterior scenes were filmed in the area of London’s Old Scotland Yard: HPP Book One, Site #10.

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Where is #4 Privet Drive?: Before they built a Leavesden backlot SET that exactly replicated it, exterior Dursley home scenes were filmed on location at Picket Post Close in Martins Heron: Site #24. This site is listed in the London Side-Along Apparations section of HPP Book One, and is repeated (with additional information for Potterites driving to Harry Potter Places outside of London) in HPP Book Three—Snitch-Seeking in Southern England and Wales.

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Where is the place that Professor Dumbledore was buried in the movie?: On the western end of Scotland’s Loch Eilt is a distinctive tree-tufted islet called Eilean na Moine (“ALE-an nah MOAN-yah”): HPP Book Five, Site #63. Readily recognized by Potterites who have spied it in the background of several Harry Potter movie scenes, Eilean na Moine is the movie location of Albus Dumbledore’s burial monument.

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Where is Professor Flitwick’s Classroom?: The Sorcerer’s Stone Wingardium Leviosa Charms Class lesson scenes were filmed in the oldest classroom of Harrow School, a London Side-Along Apparation: HPP Book One, Site # 25.

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Where is Professor Snape’s Potions Classroom?: Professor Snape’s Potions Classroom is in the bowels of Lacock Abbey: HPP Book Three, Site #40. You’ll also find Professor Quirrell’s Dark Arts Classroom and several other significant Hogwarts interior film sites there. Please Note: Lacock Village (also Site #40) is where Sorcerer’s Stone footage of Voldemort approaching James and Lily Potter’s Godric’s Hollow home was filmed, as well as many Half-Blood Prince Budleigh Babberton scenes.

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Where is Shell Cottage?: A wild beach on the western coast of Wales is where the Shell Cottage set was built, and where several Deathly Hallows Part One and Two scenes were filmed: HPP Book Three, Site #38.

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Where is that Weird Stone Formation camp site seen in Deathly Hallows Part One?: The weird stone formation Harry and Hermione camp site scenes were filmed on the distinctive Limestone Pavement found above Malham Cove in North Yorkshire, England: HPP Book Four, Site #48.

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