Where Is The Castle From 'Harry Potter' In Real Life? - TheThings

One of the most magical things about the Harry Pottermovies has to be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From its moving staircases to the bewitched ceiling in the spectacular Great Hall, Hogwarts really is an immersive second home for so many Potterheads. Every fan of both the books and movies has dreamed of receiving their Hogwarts letter and being able to roam the hallways of the beloved castle.

When a theme park was announced back in 2010, fans went wild, and the theme park remains incredibly popular today. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando gives fans the chance to visit Hogsmeade and immerse themselves in wizarding life. You can even have a private tour of Hogwarts!

The locations in the Harry Potter movies are breathtaking. It must have been no easy feat to bring to life such a spectacular building and convince fans of the magic sealed within its halls. Yet Warner Bros pulled it off, using a mixture of real-life locations and built sets to create one of the most magical buildings ever.

Was A Real Castle Used In 'Harry Potter'?

Hogwarts is a mixture of locations that have been filmed to make look as if they are all part of the castle, with some parts built. For example, the iconic wooden bridge was invented for something to connect the Hogwarts grounds to Hagrid's hut and first features in the third 'Harry Potter' movie. The bridge was constructed from wood and fiberglass, and there is only one section of the bridge built to scale. The rest was either a miniature version or CGI.

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Alnwick Castle is one of the real-life locations used to film Hogwarts, and features in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The castle can be found in Northumberland, England. Many of the exterior shots are filmed in Scotland, with the bridge that the Hogwarts Express chugs along being a very popular tourist sight.

Many other locations from the movies can be found in London, such as King's Cross Station (but don't actually run into the wall between Platforms 9 and 10 when you get there), the London Zoo whose Reptile House featured in the second Harry Potter movie (the snakes won't actually talk back to you, though) and St Paul's Cathedral, whose stunning spiraling staircases were used for some of the Hogwarts shots in the later Harry Potter movies.

Can You Visit The Real Hogwarts Castle?

The best way to see the locations and set props from the movies is to visit the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London, where you can explore the sets and discover behind-the-scenes secrets. At the studio tour, fans can see the Great Hall, the wooden bridge, and even the Hogwarts express. Visitors also get a chance to fly a broom and see the costumes used in the movies.

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As for Alnwick Castle, fans of 'Harry Potter' can visit the castle! There is plenty to do at the castle from talks and tours to visiting the museum. But that Potterheads will be most interested in is Broomstick Training, which takes place on the castle grounds in the exact same spot where Harry Potter's first flying lesson with Madam Hooch was filmed.

Fans really miss Harry Potter, and seeing behind-the-scenes footage and photos does not help with that grief Potterheads still feel about the magical world they grew up with having to come to an end, and in fact, makes Potterheads miss Harry Potter even more.

The 'Harry Potter' movies provided a magical escape for many fans and will always be an important part of their childhoods, and seeing their favorite actors come together for a reunion really was something special, as they watched Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint reunite in the Gryffindor common room.

And even though Harry Potter is an enchanted part of the past, the locations still existing today means fans get to enjoy Hogwarts still and relive the magic that means so much to them.

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It's as J.K. Rowling put perfectly all those years ago in her speech during the premiere of the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2).

“Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”

Jo's words encapsulate exactly how fans of the books and movies feel, even 20 years after the first 'Harry Potter' movie, Hogwarts will always be home.

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