Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. Today’s video is going to be a little
bit different than normal, as we are going to be taking a look at the filming locations
for some of the most ICONIC scenes of the Harry Potter franchise.
If you’re anything like me, then when you watch an iconic scene in a film your brain
probably starts to think about where it was that the scene was set. You can’t help but
be curious about what place in reality was reshaped to create the magic that you’re
witnessing on screen.
Though I love the books dearly, the Harry Potter films have a very special place in
my heart-in part due to the fact that I was very close in age to the actors that played
Harry, Ron & Hermione. As I grew older, the films were gradually released, and it gave
me the opportunity to revisit these same characters- who had aged just as I had. This made them
very special- magical-and I honestly felt that all four directors of the Harry Potter
films did an excellent job at keeping this magic alive.
With all of the other positives of the Harry Potter franchise aside, this ‘magical’
feeling that the films exuded could definitely not have been achieved without carefully chosen
filming locations-which are the topic of this video. I’m not going to be taking a look
at EVERY filming location, but I’m going to be taking a look at some of the most notable.
Particularly from the first film. Of course, if you guys enjoy this type of video, I am
always capable of making more - I’m not going anywhere! You just have to let me know.
With that said, let’s get things started. First, let’s jump right back to the very
beginning of the films and take a look at the ICONIC platform nine and ¾. If you don’t
know what platform nine and three-quarters is, then I don’t really know what to tell
you. You may be on the wrong video. It is of course the platform in which students board
the Hogwarts Express, the scarlet steam engine that brings students to and from Hogwarts.
It’s accessed by walking straight through the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
Platform 9 ¾ was of course filmed at King’s Cross Station on the edge of Central London.
It’s an active railway station, but at the real station you will find that platforms
9 and 10 are separated by tracks. For filming, platforms 4 and 5 were renumbered 9 and 10,
and at the station today, you'll find the hidden access to platform 9 3/4, complete
with half a luggage cart disappearing into the wall! The entrance to King’s Cross Station
in the film was shot at the St.Pancras Renaissance Hotel, also located in London.
Next up we’re going to be taking a look at Diagon Alley, the famous cobblestoned shopping
area that allows witches and wizards to purchase all of their magical supplies. This is one
of the first places that Hagrid brings Harry-opening his eyes to the magic of the wizarding world.
In reality, ‘Diagon Alley’ is also known as ‘Leadenhall Market’, a market dating
back to the 14th century. It’s located in London, and operates as an actual market to
this day- accessed primarily via the main entrance on Gracechurch street.
Once you’ve made it past platform 9 ¾ and have amassed all of your school supplies in
Diagon Alley, next you’ll be boarding the Hogwarts Express, the train that transports
students to Hogwarts. It runs between King’s Cross Station and Hogsmeade Station, and makes
the trip approximately six times per year, or more if necessary. It’s on the Hogwarts
express that Harry firsts meets his faithful companions, Ron & Hermione. In the films we
see the train navigating through the countryside, scooting past beautiful greenery, and even
a body of water. Most notably, we see the Hogwarts Express
travelling over a bridge- this bridge is known as the Glenfinnan Viaduct, found in Scotland.
It’s located on the West Highland Line in Glenfinnan, Inverness-shire, Scotland. It
is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland at 416 yards (380 m), and crosses
the River Finnan at a height of 100 feet. The viaduct also overlooks the Glenfinnan
Monument and the waters of Loch Shiel.
When you’ve finished your journey on the train, your next destination as a new student
is a school that you..may have heard of. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts
is of course the castle where all students attend their magical studies, and in the words
of Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts is "The finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world.".
While the precise location of the school is never revealed to us due to it being ‘unplottable’,
in reality we know that Hogwarts school was filmed across a multitude of different filming
locations. Perhaps most notably, these locations include Durham Cathedral, Alnwick Castle and
Gloucester Cathedral. A behemoth task like creating a set for an entire school is no
easy feat, so multiple locations were needed to establish a diverse array of interior and
exterior shots.
Durham Cathedral was founded in 1093 and is home to the Shrine of St Cuthbert. The Cathedral
was proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1986. Durham Cathedral is of course located in Durham,
England, and boasts a 218 foot central tower, with 144 foot western towers. Durham cathedral
was used for both interior and exterior shots of Hogwarts.
Alnwick Castle is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland.
It is the second largest inhabited castle in England, and was used primarily for exterior
shots of Hogwarts. It’s also been used as a filming location for many many other films
and TV shows, including Ivanhoe, Robin Hood, Star Trek, and more.
And lastly, Gloucester Cathedral is a cathedral located in Gloucestershire, England- standing
north of the city near the RIver Severn. I’ve actually had the pleasure of visiting Gloucester
cathedral personally-and it was absolutely spectacular in person. It is 420 feet (130
m) long, and 144 feet (44 m) wide, with a fine central tower of the 15th century rising
to the height of 225 ft (69 m) and topped by four delicate pinnacles, a famous landmark.
The cathedral was used for many of Hogwarts’ interior shots.
And that’s it for this video, If you enjoyed this type of content then let me know down
in the comment section below. I’d be more than happy to cover some more of the filming
locations if you guys are in to it.
Until next time,
YER A WIZARD ARRY