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Harry Potter Locations

Harry Potter Locations

With the world ablaze with the epic finale to the Harry Potter franchise opening this week, we take a travel-oriented trip down memory lane (and Diagon Alley) with a gallery of official trailers for all seven old movies. And list some of the real-life places that doubled for movie locations.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 2001
The very brief shot of the goblins at Gringott?s bank (0:07) and all others were filmed at Australia House in London.

When Professor McGonagall stands in front of an imposing doorway and greets the students as they arrive (0:30) the scene is shot at Oxford University in England. And the one straight after, where they are lead into The Great Hall, is at the same location. The first-ever flying lesson, and some Quidditch scenes (0:34) were shot at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. The castle?s Guest Hall doubled up as the Hogwarts Library in a few scenes, too (1:29)

Many corridor scenes were shot in the cloisters at Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, along with the Gryffindor dormitory (1:23). The ghost scenes were all filmed here.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, (2002)
The Hogwarts Express crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, in Scotland (1:35), on the route of the real-life Jacobite Express which follows the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig.

The Dark Forest, where Harry and Ron crash the flying car (1:54), was built at Black Park on Iver Heath, in Buckinghamshire, England. Some scenes with Hagrid?s hut were also shot here, though later movies got a lot more creative. The staggering view over a loch with Hogwarts in the distance was the view from the hill overlooking Loch Shiel at Glenfinnan in Scotland.

The trailer also shows a glimpse of a deleted scene at this spot (2:02).

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, (2004
Three impressive sets were built in Glencoe, Scotland, near the bottom of the Clachaig Gully, and if you plan to visit, handily across from the Clachaig Inn. Hagrid?s hut, the sundial and gatehouse, and the Bridge to Nowhere all took shape there. You get a little peek at 1:14, and at 1:35 on, where Hermione gets physical with Malfoy.

And of course the all-important King?s Cross Platform 9 3/4 had the exterior view shot at St. Pancras Station, London.

The Hogwarts Lake was this time shot at Loch Shiel, Loch Morar, and Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands.

A small section of the triple-decker bus scene (0:21), where it weaves in between traffic, was filmed in Palmers Green in North London. Some parts were also filmed in and around Borough Market and Lambeth Bridge in London.

And if depressing mass housing tract is your thing, the Dursleys house in Picket Post Close (1:27) was shot in Martins Heron, Berkshire, England.

The hippogriff scene took place at Virginia Water in Surrey, England.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, (2005)
Ron?s excruciating dance class with Professor McGonagall (0:56) was shot at the Divinity School of Oxford University?s Bodleian Library (this was Hogwarts infirmary in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer?s Stone)

The first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament (0:25) is set against the landscape around Steall Falls at Glen Nevis. Harry is chased into the spectacular gorge at Black Rock Gorge, Evanton, about 15 miles north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

Some of England?s most stunning scenery comes into play here: the "manky old boot" (the portkey) is on Beacon Hill near Berkhamsted, and right after, they?re whooshed off to the Seven Sisters sea cliffs in East Sussex.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, (2007)
Canary Wharf at night is the backdrop for the broom-flight in London (0:24) that also takes in (or under) London Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Underground Station?s shiny new exterior also stars, but don?t go looking for the red phone box connected to the Ministry of Magic: that was just for the movie, but it was at the junction of Great Scotland Yard and Scotland Place, in case you?re curious.

King?s Cross Station has its part, too, more than once, but Harry?s sighting of Voldemort (0:42) shows it off rather well.

The Scottish moorlands are back (0:50), shot against the menacing mountain backdrop of Glen Etive.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2009
There was prefilming talk that the movie might be shot outside the U.K., but luckily that came to naught.

The Death Eaters? aerial assault on London (0:59) takes place in Trafalgar Square (1:02), and is seen from inside the Gherkin (1:04) before we see St. Paul?s nicely in the background (1:14) and and the destruction of the Millennium Bridge across The Thames (1:53).

The exterior of the creepy cave scene with Harry and Dumbledore (0:10) was shot at the Cliffs of Moher in the west of Ireland. The interiors (0:18) were all totally CGI.

Scotland?s Glen Coe and Glenfinnan get another spectacular outing (1:35 and elsewhere) throughout, in scenes around Hogwarts.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Hermione and Harry set up camp (0:21, 0:52 and 1:30) in Loch Etive, Scotland.

Shaftsbury Ave, London (1:00) is featured when Harry, Hermione and Ron nearly get hit by the big red double-decker bus as they fly into scene.

Harry and Hagrid go for a motorcycle ride against the traffic (1:20) in Dartford tunnel, Kent, England.

When running away from the snatchers in Swinley Forrest, UK (1:23) Hermione whips out some good old magic spells.

Freshwater West beach of Pembroke National Park (1:52) is where Harry begs for help to save Dobby. Poor poor Dobby.
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