Where was Hogwarts filmed and why is it a lot of different locations?
Journey into the magical world of Hogwarts
Who among us has not dreamed of walking around Hogwarts like a real student of the school of magic? Now it is possible in the game Hogwarts Legacy, where you can explore every nook and cranny of the castle. But, unfortunately, you can't do it in real life, even if you go to the UK. And all because the Hogwarts scenes were filmed in different locations! Let's find out why.
Hogwarts: A giant among castles.
Hogwarts is a giant among castles! The interior area, even without taking into account the magical rooms, is as much as 126,000 square meters. This puts it in third place among the largest castles on the planet. For example, Dover Castle, located on the very edge of England, has an area of 122,000 square meters. And the Moscow Kremlin, with its massive walls and towers, covers 275,000 square meters! Thus, there are very few places where Hogwarts could be filmed.
Architectural uniformity
The movie makers needed to keep the castle in the same style. Although described in the book, the visual style of the castle was developed by Stuart Craig and his team for the first movie. The main work was done then, although there were additions and changes in subsequent movies. The production design team, along with Joanne Rowling, chose Romanesque and Gothic styles for the castle to create a magical atmosphere.
Historical features of castle construction
Castles in the real world took a long time to build - sometimes hundreds of years. Therefore, they were worked on by several architects, each of whom added their own changes. A castle is also a military structure, which could be destroyed during sieges. And then it was rebuilt in a modern style, which led to a mixture of architectural trends. For example, the Alnik Castle - its facade is made in the Gothic style, and most of the halls - in the Italian style.
Why was Hogwarts filmed in different locations?
Hogwarts was built by four wizards at the same time, and all the destruction is easily repaired by the "Reparo" spell. So the castle shouldn't have much change over time. Add to this the fact that wizards are terrible conservatives: they write with quills, wear robes, and ride carriages. It is clearly not worth expecting them to update their architectural solutions.
In short, there is no castle in the real world that could become Hogwarts. Plus, specific separate locations for different scenes were required. So if you want to amass a collection of Harry Potter location photos, you're going to have to do some traveling. Let's take a look at some of these locations.
Hogwarts filming locations
Alnwick Castle
Scene: The first broom flying lesson.
Description: The castle courtyard was used for filming Professor Madame Hooch's flying lessons.
Why chosen: Alnick offers unique medieval architecture that perfectly captures the atmosphere of Hogwarts.
GPS coordinates: 55.4155° N, 1.7056° W
Gloucester Cathedral
Scene: Hogwarts corridors.
Description: The cathedral's corridors have been used for many scenes, including the one where Harry, Ron and Hermione hide from Filch.
Why Choose: The cathedral has a unique gothic architecture, perfect for the mysterious corridors of the school.
GPS coordinates: 51.8670° N, 2.2452° W
Christ Church, Oxford
Scene: The Great Hall of Hogwarts.
Description: The Great Hall design was inspired by the dining hall at Christ Church.
Why choose: The magnificent Gothic interior matches the descriptions of the hall in the books.
GPS coordinates: 51.7506° N, 1.2565° W
Durham Castle
Scene: Entrance to the school.
Plot: Some of the scenes outside and inside the castle were filmed here, including the scene where Harry first arrives at Hogwarts.
Why chosen: Durham Castle is perfect in style and atmosphere for the Hogwarts roles.
GPS coordinates: 54.7741° N, 1.5760° W
Lacock Abbey
Scene: Potions classrooms and some corridors.
Description: The abbey was used to film the classes taught by Professor Snape.
Why chosen: Medieval architecture and gloomy corridors create the atmosphere of an old castle.
GPS coordinates: 51.4154° N, 2.1186° W
Now, armed with this knowledge, you're ready for a real magical adventure! Follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter!