One of the biggest film franchises in the world, Harry Potter has entranced fans of all ages. With magical creatures and spells throughout all eight movies, you may wonder where was Harry Potter filmed. Check out some of these famous locations below and maybe see them in real life.
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What Is Harry Potter About?
Harry Potter focuses on a boy of the same name who learns he is a wizard. Swept away to the magical school Hogwarts, Harry meets friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Each film throws the trio into dangerous adventures, finally leading to the rematch of Harry Potter and He Who Must Not Be Named, Voldemort.
Where Was Harry Potter Filmed: Broad Locations
These are a few of the broader locations where Harry Potter was filmed throughout the series, with one of their notable scenes to check out:
- London: Harry first realizes his magical powers when conversing with a snake from the London Zoo’s Reptile House.
- Near Bath: Harry is chosen to become part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team in the halls of Lacock Abbey, 13 miles east of Bath.
- Near Brighton: Harry and his friends take a portkey to the Quidditch World Cup, landing on the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs.
- Oxford: In the New College cloister, Mad-Eye Moody turns Draco into a ferret to teach him a lesson.
- Durham and Northeast England: Harry and his bird Hedwig walk through a cloister at Durham Cathedral, used throughout the films for various Hogwarts scenes.
- Scottish Highlands: The Hogwarts Express runs along the Jacobite Steam Train, and travels across the Glenfinnan Viaduct when the Dementors stall the train and torture Harry.
- Ireland: The Cliffs of Moher posed as the cave’s exterior where Harry and Dumbledore searched for a Horcrux made by Voldemort.
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Specific Filming Locations in Harry Potter
There are many scenes in the Harry Potter franchise, but some continue to stick in our minds. Here are three prominent locations you may want to travel to and dive into the wizarding world:
- Leadenhall Market: This Victorian market in London appeared in the films as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
- London Kings Cross Station: Probably one of the most iconic scenes is Harry diving through the wall of Platform 9 3/4 to get to the Hogwarts Express. It has now become a permanent tribute to the films, with the magical platform marked in Kings Cross.
- Gloucester Cathedral: Home to several shots of Hogwarts’ interior from The Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, and The Half-Blood Prince, the cathedral’s history dates back to 678.
Was Harry Potter Based on a Book?
The Harry Potter film franchise is based on the best-selling novels by J.K. Rowling. While there are eight movies, there are only seven books since The Deathly Hallows is not separated. The books were published between 1997 and 2007 with the same titles as the films.
We have also seen a resurgence of the wizarding world in the play Harry Potter and The Cursed Child which documents the world nineteen years after the events in The Deathly Hallows. There is also the Fantastic Beasts series, set when Albus Dumbledore was middle-aged and combined forces with Newt Scamander to defeat Gellert Grindelwald.
Where To Stream Harry Potter
You can stream Harry Potter on several different platforms, listed below:
- Peacock
- Max
- YouTube (Premium Subscription)
- Hulu (Premium Subscription)
- Sling TV (Premium Subscription)
- Prime Video (Premium Subscription)
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Diving into the world of Harry Potter is not for the faint of heart, but can reveal a whole world of magic and wizardry to the viewer. If you enjoy fantasy films or exploring the United Kingdom through film, add all of Harry’s adventures to your watchlist now.