Durham Cathedral

• Type: Real-world filming location for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
• Location: Durham, North East England, United Kingdom
• Owner/Residents: The Church of England (real-world). In the context of the films, its interiors and exteriors represented parts of Hogwarts Castle.
• Key Features: Romanesque (Norman) architecture, stone cloisters, vaulted ceilings.

Durham Cathedral is a real-world cathedral of the Church of England in the city of Durham, England. It is regarded as one of the finest examples of Norman architecture and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the nearby Durham Castle. Its grand and ancient appearance made it an ideal real-world setting to represent portions of Hogwarts Castle in the early film adaptations. The most recognizable areas used for filming are its cloisters—covered walkways surrounding a central quadrangle, or garth. These stone corridors, with their vaulted ceilings and large, open-arched windows, were used to depict the open-air hallways and courtyards of Hogwarts, where students would walk between classes. Another key interior, the cathedral's Chapter House, with its high ceiling and distinctive architecture, was used as the set for a prominent classroom.

Durham Cathedral has no canonical role in the seven original novels by J.K. Rowling and is never mentioned. Its significance is entirely related to the production of the Warner Bros. film series, where it served as a primary filming location for scenes set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was used extensively in the first two films to establish the look and atmosphere of Hogwarts. Key moments that take place within the settings provided by Durham Cathedral include:

• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the snow-covered cloister garth is where Harry Potter releases Hedwig to fly in the winter. (film)
• In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the cloisters are the location where Ron Weasley's attempt to curse Draco Malfoy backfires, causing him to vomit slugs. (film)
• The Chapter House serves as the location for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom in both of the first two films. (film)

While Durham Cathedral itself is not a location within the Harry Potter universe, its real-world sections were used to represent the following fictional areas of Hogwarts:

• The Cloisters: These walkways and the central garth were used to portray various Hogwarts corridors and courtyards, serving as transitional spaces for students.
• The Chapter House: This room was transformed into the Transfiguration classroom, presided over by Minerva McGonagall.

Durham Cathedral was a major filming location for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, chosen for its authentic and imposing medieval architecture that perfectly matched the desired aesthetic for Hogwarts. (film) Specific scenes filmed on location include:

• The Cloisters: Used for the scene where Harry Potter walks with Hedwig on his arm in his first year and later releases her into the snow. The slug-vomiting scene from the second film was also filmed here. (film)
• The Chapter House: This room was dressed as the Transfiguration classroom. Memorable scenes filmed here include Professor McGonagall turning a cat into a water goblet on her desk and her lesson where she recounts the legend of the Chamber of Secrets to her class. (film)

The use of Durham Cathedral, along with other locations like Alnwick Castle and Lacock Abbey, was crucial in creating the tangible and historic feel of Hogwarts on screen before more sets were constructed at Leavesden Studios.