Harry Potter Filming Locations
Where was Harry Potter filmed?
Most of the Harry Potter filming locations are in the United Kingdom, majority of which are in London, followed by Lacock, Oxford and some locations in Scotland.
Harry Potter Filming Locations in London
Harry Potter World UK or Harry Potter Studio
Located in London, this should be your top priority if you just have a day. It is the place where most of the movie sets are located, the places where the majority of the shooting was done after the initial 2 or three movies. It is the most loved Harry Potter attraction in the UK, also the most visited one in the whole country; you will see a lot of families.
People usually spend 3-4 hours here. The place has Harry Potter shop and places like Backlot Café, Chocolate CAFÉ and a Food Hall where you can have something to eat or drink.
Platform 9 3/4 (actually Kings Cross Station)
Who doesn't remember the movie scenes where Harry and others students of Hogwarts start their year by boarding the Hogwarts express from King Cross station's Platform 9 3/4. Though there is no such platform number on the train station, they now have put up a luggage trolley with a sign that says ‘Platform 9 ¾’. It is the most popular Harry Potter attraction which is rate as the 'photo stop' when touring the HP destinations in London.
Market Porter Pub
Now think of the scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban where Harry is shown riding a triple-decker bus in the middle of the night to reach Leaky Cauldrons. This is the pub that was used in the movie as the 'Third Hand Book Emporium' which sat right next to the Leaky Cauldron; you will also see the street where Harry disembarked from the bus.
Market Porter Pub is located a few minutes walk from London Bridge in Borough Market
Serpent House at London Zoo
The iconic scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone where Harry visits the London Zoo with his aunt and Dudley on his birthday. Yes, the scene where Harry frees the big python from Burma and Dudley ends up in the cage instead. Those scenes were shot on the London Zoo's Reptile House which was built in 1926. Note that though the Reptile house has many big snakes and reptiles, it doesn't have any Burmese Pythons, so don't be disappointed.
Leadenhall Market (it was used as Diagon Alley)
Now go back to the scenes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when Hagrid takes Harry to Gringotts Wizarding Bank (Australia House was used as the bank) followed by trip to Diagon Alley where Harry shops for the stuff he needs for school. It was our very first glimpse into Harry's magical world.
Leadenhall Market is a Victorian market located in the center of London, which was used as Diagon Alley. The market remains open from Monday through Friday.
St Pancras International station
St Pancras International Station was used in Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secret. It was shown as the exterior of the Kings Cross Station when Ron and Harry fly over the station in Mr. Weasley's car. Ron comes to help Harry as he fails to enter through the portal to Platform 9 3/4 because of Dobby.
Westminster Tube station
Westminster Tube station was used in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It is shown in the scenes when Harry travels to the Ministry of Magic using the tube, for a disciplinary hearing.
Harry Potter Filming Locations in Oxford
Oxford University
Christ Church College
In Oxford, the very first location where the movies were shot initially was the dining hall of Christ Church College; it was used as the Great Hall in the first and the second movie.
However, the Christ Church College in Oxford University was also used in a lot of Harry Potter movies in the initial installments. For instance, the staircase was used as Hogwarts entrance in Sorcerer's stone where Professor McGonagall meets the first years including Harry, Hermione and Ron.
The hallways of Christ Church College were also used in the scene where Hermione shows harry the Quidditch trophy that Harry's dad won.
Duke Humfrey’s reading room
Duke Humfrey's reading room in Bodleian Library is an old reading room that dates back to 1400s. High walls, intricate ceiling and loaded with books from floor to the ceiling, this reading room was used in The Philosopher’s Stone as the Restricted section of the library that Harry tries to get into using his cloak of invisibility.
The Divinity School
Located right next to Bodleian Library, The Divinity School was used in first four movies as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing. In the first movie, it was the place where Harry wakes up after facing Voldemort for the very first time.
New College Tree
This tree appears in The Goblet Fire. It is the same tree under which Malfoy (sitting on the Oak's big branch) tells Harry that he will not even survive 10 seconds in the Triwizard Tournament. This oak tree is in New College Cloisters, the same place where Malfoy is transformed into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody.
Harry Potter Film locations in Lacock
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak on Unsplash
Lacock Abbey
Hallways of Lacock Abbey's were used in the scenes where Harry is wins a spot on Quidditch team (the broom scene was shot here).
Lacock Abbey's Chapter House was also used in the first movie where Harry finds the Mirror of Erised.
Snape’s Potion classroom is also a room in the Abbey.
Godric's Hollow
Godric's Hollow is a private house in Lacock which was used as Lily and James Potter's house where they were hiding from Voldemort. It is shown briefly during the flashbacks.
Harry Potter Filming locations in Scotland
Rannoch Moor
Used in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1; it is the place where Death Eaters board the train in the movie .
Loch Etive
It was used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1; it was used as the place where Harry, Hermione and Ron camps
Glen Coe
Glen Coe was used in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire, the Order of the Phoenix, and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. It was used as the place where Hagrid's Hut is located and also as the entrance to Hogwarts castle. Many of the scenes were also shot at a lake nearby.
Glenfinnan
It was used in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Goblet of Fire as the ‘bridge to Hogwarts’.
Loch Eilit
It was used in various HP movies like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire & the Deathly Hallows Part 2
It was used in the exterior shots of Hogwarts' grounds; it was also used as the island where Dumbledore rests in his grave.
Loch Arkaig
Loch Arkaig was used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 as the exterior shots of the dragon flight.
Lochaber Rural Complex
This was used in the movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The Jacobite Steam Train
This train was used as Hogwarts Express in all the Harry Potter movies. This train runs from Fort William to Mallaig.
Loch Shiel
Was used as Hogwarts Lake in 2 Harry potter movie (Prisoner of Azkaban and Half Blood Prince).
Glenfinnan Viaduct
It was used in the scene where Ron is flying his dad's car to Hogwarts in the Chamber of Secrets; it was again used in the Dementor scene in Prisoner of Azkaban.
Loch Morar
It was used as Hogwarts lake in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Bo'ness Motor Museum
Though no movie was shot here, in this place you will be able to see Ron Weasley's Ford Anglia.
Scottish Owl Centre in West Lothian
This is also not a film location yet is a great place to be if you would like to see Hedwig's friends and other exotic owl species.
Other notable Harry Potter film locations in England
Gloucester Cathedral
Photo by Elizabeth Jamieson on Unsplash
Gloucester Cathedral’s corridors were used as Hogwarts corridors in the first 2 movies. The scenes where Harry and Ron hide from the troll was filmed here; even the Moaning Myrtle's toilet scene was filmed here. The scene in the second movie where a writing appears on the wall that 'the Chamber of Secrets had been opened' was also shot her.
Alnwick Castle
Photo by Mohit Yadav on Unsplash
The Outer Bailey were used as Hogwarts Grounds where Madam Hooch was shown teaching how to ride a broomstick to the first years. The same place was used in the scenes where Oliver Wood introduces Harry to the rules of Quidditch.
The Castle's Inner Bailey was used in the scenes where Ron ( with Harry in passenger seat) crash his father's car into the Whomping Willow.
The castle's main courtyard was used numerous times in first 2 movie. The courtyard was used in scenes where students were shown walking in and out of the Castle like in the scene when Harry and Ron are bitching about Hermione on their way to Potions.
The Lion Arch at Alnwick castle was used in the scenes when Harry, Ron and Hermionie walks towards Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest.
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