Hogwarts Castle

Hogwarts Castle
Location information
Location	Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain
Owner(s)	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Permanent residents	Students Staff House-elves Ghosts Peeves
Affiliation	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"The castle is a stronghold of ancient magic."

— Albus Dumbledore regarding the ancient castle

Hogwarts Castle was a large, seven-storey high building supported by magic, with a hundred and forty-two staircases throughout its many towers and turrets and very deep dungeons. The castle was built in the late Early Middle Ages (c. 993) by a wizard architect and the four most celebrated wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. The castle was the main building of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, regarded as the finest wizarding school in the world.

Hogwarts was built in a valley area — surrounding mountains were part of the landscape — with the fairly large Great Lake to the south of the main building. The huge main oak front doors that led into the Entrance Hall faced west, and opened up to sloping lawns. The deep Forbidden Forest extended around to the west of the castle. There were also exterior greenhouses and vegetable patches on the school grounds.

Hogwarts was located in the Scottish Highlands, near the all-wizard village of Hogsmeade and "not far" from Dufftown, in Moray, and Achintee, in Lochaber.

It was the setting of the final battle of the Second Wizarding War, the Battle of Hogwarts, which resulted in the deaths of several witches and wizards who fought in defence of the castle, including Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevey, Lavender Brown, and Severus Snape. The castle was badly damaged in the battle, but ultimately the Order of the Phoenix won when Harry Potter defeated his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, in the Great Hall.

Due to its extremely advanced age and the sheer amount of magic present in or around it, the castle was implied to have developed some form of sentience or awareness, such as when it sealed the Headmaster's Tower against Dolores Umbridge in 1996, and the various trick steps and false doors.

Hogwarts Castle was also the most haunted location in Great Britain, being home to many ghosts.

Magic

Hogwarts Castle in daylight

The castle was supported by magic (unable to be maintained or constructed by any other means), a good example being the moving staircases, a feature contributed by one of the four Hogwarts founders, Rowena Ravenclaw. Hogwarts was also protected by numerous ancient spells, such as the Anti-Disapparition Jinx; this could, however, be overridden by the Head of the school when necessary. It was also unplottable and bewitched so that, if Muggles approached the castle, all they would see would be a mouldering ruin with a sign warning them to keep out and that it was unsafe. Nevertheless, Muggles could presumably see the castle if they were invited or otherwise aware of its existence, as was the case with Jacob Kowalski in 1932. The protective magic over Hogwarts appeared to repel even talented Dark wizards.

Rubeus Hagrid claimed that Hogwarts was the safest place there was, even more so than Gringotts Wizarding Bank, a reason why the Philosopher's Stone was sent to the castle for protection. After the Ministry finally admitted that Lord Voldemort had returned in 1996, the castle's defences were further increased, much of them were cast by Albus Dumbledore himself, such as gates being locked with spells that can only be undone by teachers, and spells to prevent entrance via broomsticks and wall-scaling. All of the secret passageways that were previously allegedly unknown were given more protection. Additionally, with members of the Order of the Phoenix and Aurors placed as guards, and Caretaker Argus Filch checking all incoming and outgoing students for dangerous materials, intrusion seemed completely impossible.

However, Draco Malfoy utilised a pair of Vanishing Cabinets as a passageway, which none of the castle's defences could negate, to allow Death Eaters into the castle. This devastatingly horrified the wizarding community, as they realised that Hogwarts, the most powerful and reputably safest magical stronghold in the entire wizarding world, had been breached, no less than by a student from the inside, meaning there was no longer anywhere safe from Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

As a result of all the magic that occurred on the premises (both from learning students, magical artefacts therein and the enchantments cast over the building itself) a magical atmosphere pervaded the entire structure, causing any technology that was not adapted to run off of it to fail. This was presumably why candles and lanterns were used for light. Mechanical things like watches seemed to do alright, as Colin Creevey's traditional Muggle camera seemed to have worked until it was destroyed by the Basilisk's eyes. (Colin mentioned that another student told him that he could develop the pictures in a potion so that they moved. One of his pictures showed Harry trying to escape a picture of him and Gilderoy Lockhart.)

Layout

Below the ground floor

Chamber of Secrets

"He was standing at the end of a long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more serpents, rose to a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place."

— Harry exploring the Chamber

The Chamber of Secrets

The Chamber of Secrets was allegedly created deep under the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle during the Medieval times by Salazar Slytherin, who disagreed with the other Hogwarts founders on the merits of blood purity. The Chamber of Secrets was home to an ancient Basilisk, which was intended to be used to purge the school of Muggle-born students.

The entrance could be found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor. In order to gain entrance one had to say "open" in Parseltongue, and a sink would open into a slide. While falling down the large, dark pipe, one could see hundreds of other pipes leading off. At the end of the pipe, one was launched into a damp, stone chamber. This room was stated to be "miles beneath the school" and under the Lake. This was where Tom Marvolo Riddle used his ability to speak Parseltongue and attack Harry Potter.

Dungeons

The dungeons of Hogwarts Castle were located under the school, and it was colder there than in the main castle.

Dungeon cupboard

This cupboard was a small room off the Dungeon Corridor, just before the dungeon hall.

Deathday Party Hall

This was one of the roomier dungeons at Hogwarts Castle. The room was accessible via the Dungeon Staircase. On 31 October 1992, this dungeon was where Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington's five-hundredth Deathday Party was held.

Potions Classroom

The Potions Classroom was where Potions classes were taught. The classroom used to be squared-sized, very large, with large tables and windows. From 1995-1996, the classroom was an oval shape and relatively smaller, with small work tables. In 1996, the classroom was extended, adding space for more work tables.

Potions basement

There was a storage basement under the Potions classroom at Hogwarts Castle. It was accessible via a trapdoor and it was used to store cauldrons, ingredients and phials.

Head of Slytherin's office

This office was used by Severus Snape during his long tenure as Potions Master at Hogwarts. It was a gloomy and dimly-lit room found in the school Dungeons. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars filled with slimy, revolting things, such as bits of animals and plants, floating in potions of varying colours.

The office had a fireplace. In a corner, there was a cupboard containing Snape's private stock of potion ingredients. The office was sealed with a spell only wizards could break.

Slytherin common room

The Slytherin Dungeon was located behind a wall in the dungeons of Hogwarts. A Password spoken to the wall was required to enter it; whereupon a passage was revealed leading to the common room — a low-ceilinged, dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. The room also contained black leather couches and a fireplace. This dungeon extended partway under the lake, which allowed students to glimpse the inhabitants of the Great Lake.

Off of this room also included the Slytherin Boys' Dormitory.

Philosopher's Stone chambers

These chambers were a series of rooms underneath Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that served as the defences surrounding the Philosopher's Stone during the 1991–1992 school year. There were seven chambers in total that contained an obstacle or task that guarded the stone against being stolen.

1. Fluffy (Stationed in the third-floor corridor guarding the trap door entrance to the chambers below)
2. Devil's Snare
3. Winged Keys
4. Chessboard Chamber
5. Troll
6. Potion riddle
7. Mirror of Erised

Other locations in the Dungeons

Potion-Mixing Room Dungeon Five Dungeon cave Dungeon Corridor Entrance Dungeon Dungeon hall

Dungeon Staircase Slug Pit Quidditch cave Dungeon Pit Lever Rooms

Basement

Hufflepuff common room

"It is a very cosy and welcoming place, as dissimilar as possible from Snape’s dungeon. Lots of yellow hangings, and fat armchairs, and little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops"

— Description

The Hufflepuff Basement was the common room for Hufflepuff students at Hogwarts. The entrance to the Hufflepuff Basement was hidden behind a stack of barrels. It could be entered by tapping a certain rhythm on the barrels. It was located near the kitchens. The cellar was decorated with yellow hangings and filled with fat armchairs. Underground tunnels led off to the students' dormitories and all the doors were perfectly circular, like barrel tops.

This was the only common room Harry Potter did not enter at some point during his years at Hogwarts.

Kitchens

The Hogwarts kitchen was located directly under the Great Hall, down the same staircase that led to the Hufflepuff common room. It contained tables identical to those in the Great Hall and were directly below them; food had to simply be placed on the tables in the kitchens, and it magically appeared in the Great Hall. The kitchens were staffed by over 100 house-elves, including Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher (after Harry Potter inherited him and ordered him there in 1996).

To gain access to the kitchens, one had to tickle the pear on a fruit portrait, which would then turn into a door knob.

Boathouse

The Boathouse was an underground harbour at Hogwarts where the boats were stored and docked after bringing the first years to the castle every 1 September. Up until 1995 a portrait of Percival Pratt hung on the walls, concealing a shortcut to the Grand Staircase.

After Pratt's portrait was removed, there were only three entrances to this building: the path outside the Paved Courtyard, the stairs down from the Viaduct Courtyard, and the Great Lake.

Ground floor

Entrance Hall

The Hogwarts Entrance Hall was located on the ground floor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with a wide marble staircase opposite the oak doors. Double doors to the right led into the Great Hall. The basement, the kitchens, the dungeons, and the Grand Staircase could also be accessed via the Entrance Hall.

Chamber of Reception

The Chamber of Reception was a little building before the Entrance Hall where Professor Minerva McGonagall made the first year students wait before the Sorting Ceremony and the Welcoming Feast.

Viaduct Courtyard

The Viaduct Courtyard was located off the Entrance Hall. This courtyard replaced the Entrance Hall antechamber beyond 1994.

Great Hall

The Great Hall in Hogwarts was the main gathering area in the school. Students ate their meals, received daily owl posts, and had certain special events. The Great Hall was a large hall that could easily hold all of the school's students, staff and guests. It had tall walls that reached up to the ceiling, which was enchanted to look like the sky above.

It was the scene of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort's final showdown, which was the Dark Lord's ultimate defeat. This was because the Elder Wand refuse to kill its true master, so Harry was not killed. Since Voldemort was now a mortal man, the curse rebounded on him, killing Tom Marvolo Riddle once and for all.

Staffroom

The staffroom was a long, panelled room with mismatched, dark wooden chairs. There was a wardrobe inside it which was once home to a Boggart. The entrance to this room was guarded by two talking stone gargoyles.

Caretaker's office

The caretaker's office was the room where Argus Filch lived in Hogwarts Castle. It was connected to the Entrance Hall, on the Ground Floor of Hogwarts Castle. It was a small, simple, windowless room with a single oil lamp in the ceiling. It smelled vaguely of fried fish.

Transfiguration Courtyard

This was one of the cloisters in the inner part of Hogwarts Castle. This courtyard had grass in the open area, in which a big tree had grown over the centuries. There was one massive iron armillary sphere that stood in the centre of the courtyard.

Transfiguration department

This was a wing at Hogwarts Castle containing the rooms dedicated to the teaching of Transfiguration. The Transfiguration department was presumably located around the Middle Courtyard area, including such rooms as Classroom 1B.

Transfiguration Classroom

This classroom was where Transfiguration class was taught. The classroom was located on the ground floor around the Middle Courtyard. The classroom itself was big, surrounded by high windows, had four rows of three desks, and still had enough room for several cages and bookshelves, two chalkboards, and a desk.

Classroom Eleven

Classroom Eleven was on the ground floor of Hogwarts Castle. It was used by the Centaur Firenze, who taught the subject of Divination. Albus Dumbledore changed the room to look like the Forbidden Forest, Firenze's home.

Viaduct Entrance

This was a big chamber which connected the Viaduct to the first floor by a staircase that led to the Tapestry Corridor. There was also an archway that led down the Potions staircase to the Dungeon Corridor.

The Quad

This courtyard was located on the Hogwarts Castle exterior area. It was connected to the Viaduct and the boathouse.

Viaduct

This viaduct was constructed out of stone, and extended all the way down to the lake. It was connected to the Viaduct Courtyard at one end and was connected to the left long viaduct tower and the right long viaduct tower.

Other locations on the ground floor

House Point Ceremony chamber Herbology Store Corridor off the Entrance Hall Ground-floor corridor Central tower courtyard

Portrait Room Training Grounds Entrance Suspension Bridge entrance Temporary Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom

Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase was a massive structure in Hogwarts Castle, mainly used to access each floor of the castle, including the dungeons. There were hundreds of Portraits covering the walls in this tower, some of which concealed secret passages to other areas within the school.

The multiple staircases in the Grand Staircase led from platform to platform and went as high as the seventh floor where they came to an end.

First floor

Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom

This classroom was where Defence Against the Dark Arts class was taught. An iron chandelier hung from the ceiling, as well as a Dragon's skeleton. On one end of the classroom stood a projector that was activated by magic. Several desks and tables could be found in the classroom as well as some sets of large windows.

The classroom decoration had several changes over the years, spanning from lots of pictures of Gilderoy Lockhart to tons of skeletons and Shrunken Heads.

History of Magic Classroom

This classroom was where History of Magic classes were taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The subject was taught by Professor Cuthbert Binns, a ghost, who was widely regarded by almost all Hogwarts students as the most monotonous and boring teacher in existence.

Muggle Studies Classroom

This classroom was where Muggle Studies classes were taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hospital Wing

The Hospital wing was run by Poppy Pomfrey. Students who suffered mishaps during the school year were sent or brought to the hospital wing for treatment. The hospital wing was well equipped to deal with all manner of magical and mundane injuries, from broken limbs to regrowing lost bones.

Only in the most severe cases were students sent to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for further treatment, such as when Katie Bell touched a cursed Opal necklace in 1996.

Matron's office

This office was a large room adjacent to the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts Castle owned by Poppy Pomfrey, the matron. It contained a bookcase, a desk, two closets, two beds for patients, and another bed closed off from the room by a curtain.

Gryffindor Head's office

The Gryffindor Head's Office was positioned on a corridor which could be accessed by climbing the large staircase in Hogwarts' Entrance Hall. This office was occupied by Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, for many years. The room had an adjacent bedroom accessible by a concealed door.

Stone Bridge

The Stone Bridge was next to the Suspension Bridge. It connected the main First-floor corridor of the Stone Bridge Tower with the Tapestry Corridor in the Viaduct Entrance.

Tapestry Corridor

This corridor was located on the first floor of Hogwarts Castle. It connected the Viaduct Entrance to the main first floor. Its walls were covered in tapestries and, hung over the tapestries, portraits of wizards.

Storeroom

This storeroom was located in the Tapestry Corridor, this was where Severus Snape stored his private supply of potions and potion ingredients. It was one of two known potions storerooms in the castle; this being his private store; the other being the student store cupboard. The students cupboard was located in the dungeons. Items stored in Snape's store room included Veritaserum and ingredients for Polyjuice Potion.

First-Floor Girls' Toilets

Located on the first floor, this was where a mountain troll attacked Hermione Granger on 31 October, 1991.

The Quad battlements

There were battlements all around the top of The Quad at Hogwarts Castle.

These battlements were used by the Hogwarts defence during the Battle of Hogwarts. They were heavily damaged during the course of the battle, with parts of the floor falling in, revealing the corridors below.

Other locations on the first floor

Advanced Arithmancy Studies classroom Classroom 1A Classroom 1C Classroom 1D Classroom 1E Detention Chamber

Duelling Classroom I Duelling Classroom II First-floor corridor Passage of the Fouls Rear Hall

Second floor

Second-floor corridor

The second-floor corridor was located on both sides of the castle on the second floor.

Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor's office

The office used by the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located on the second floor of Hogwarts Castle. It was connected to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom by two staircases.

Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom

This girls' lavatory (also known as Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom) was situated on the second floor of Hogwarts Castle. It had been out of order ever since a student named Myrtle was killed there by Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk on the orders of Tom Riddle, the Heir of Slytherin.

Myrtle haunted the bathroom ever since, leading it to be a place most students did not want to enter. This bathroom held the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

Third floor

Armoury

The Armoury was a corridor adjacent to the Trophy Room. There were a large amount of suits of armour on exhibition in this corridor.

Charms Classroom

This classroom was where Charms classes were taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The classroom had four long, large desks that were built like stairs, and were located on both sides of the classroom. There was also a large fireplace in the room, as well as several stacks of books, where Professor Flitwick lectured his pupils.

Clock Tower Entrance

This was one of the three main entrances of Hogwarts Castle. It consisted of a large open space at the base of the Clock Tower, with two stairwells going up towards the upper levels of the tower. Opposite the main entry was a large window. A portrait of Damara Dodderidge was hung here, and in 1995, so was a portrait of Temeritus Shanks.

The massive pendulum of the clock swung over this entrance. The entrance could be sealed with a portcullis (which could be lowered and raised with the aid of a lever) and the massive double doors could be locked with numerous bolts.

Turret Stairwell

The Turret Stairwell was a spiral stairway leading into an upper turret at Hogwarts Castle. It could be accessed via Hesperius Hall, which was adjacent to the entrance to the Clock Tower.

Turret

This turret was on the third floor of Hogwarts Castle and was accessible through its own stairwell.

Inside this tower of the castle was a room used for an office by Albus Dumbledore while he was still a young Professor.

Library

The Library was located on the third and fourth floors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and contained tens of thousands of books on thousands of shelves. Overseen by Madam Irma Pince, the library was where students could go to peruse or borrow books to supplement their studies (or for personal enjoyment). The library closed at 8pm every day.

One-Eyed Witch Passage

The One-Eyed Witch Passage was a secret tunnel that led from Hogwarts to the cellar of Honeydukes Sweetshop in Hogsmeade. Harry Potter first learned of it from Fred and George Weasley when they gave him the Marauder's Map in 1993.

Trophy Room

The Trophy Room was where awards, trophies, cups, plates, shields, statues, and medals were kept in crystal glass displays. This room also contained a list of Head Boys and Head Girls. Prominently displayed were Hogwarts Awards for Services to the School, with known recipients being Tom Marvolo Riddle, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Probably, in 1995, the Triwizard Cup was placed here as well. The Trophy Room was connected to an Armour Gallery.

Third Floor Corridor

The Third Floor Corridor on the right side of the Castle was out of bounds during the 1991–1992 school year because it was the access point to the Chambers where the Philosopher's Stone was being hidden. Fluffy, a three-headed dog owned by Rubeus Hagrid, guarded a trap door that led into the Chambers.

Other locations on the third floor

• Charms corridor
• Classroom 3D
• Gunhilda of Gorsemoor Corridor
• Storeroom (third floor)

Fourth floor

Restricted Section

The Restricted Section was an area in the fourth floor section of the Hogwarts Library closed off by a rope and only accessible to students with permission from a professor. In order to enter, they had to present a signed note from a professor. The books within the Restricted Section typically discussed the Dark Arts or other information not for the general public or young children. They could be studied by older students for Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Study Area

This study area was a library on the fourth floor of Hogwarts Castle, located near Classroom 4F. There was a secret passageway hidden behind a bookshelf which led to the Seventh-floor corridor, just opposite a portrait of Sir Cadogan, as well as another behind a tapestry, which Hermione Granger accessed using Draconifors. There was a large fireplace, and a door leading to the Fourth Floor Corridor.

Disused classroom

This room was where the Mirror of Erised was kept from September to December 1991, and where Harry saw the image of himself and his deceased relatives, including his parents. After this, it was moved under orders from Dumbledore to protect the Philosopher's Stone.

Bathroom

This was the bathroom where Graham Montague appeared after entering the Vanishing Cabinet in 1995.

Cuthbert Binns's office

This office was used by Cuthbert Binns as Professor of History of Magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The office had a fireplace. It also had two closets, the teacher's desk and a table. Behind a curtain was Cuthbert's bed, although since becoming a ghost it is unlikely that he used it.

Other locations on the fourth floor

• Fourth-floor balcony
• Fourth-floor corridor
• Fourth-floor hospital tower corridor
• Mirror passage

Fifth floor

Prefects' bathroom

This was a special bathroom that was restricted to use by school Prefects, Head Boys, Head Girls and Quidditch captains. It was located on the fifth floor behind the fourth door to the left of a statue of Boris the Bewildered, which only opened when given the correct password, which, as mentioned by Cedric Diggory, was 'Pine Fresh' in the 1994–1995 school year.

Art classroom

This was where both Art and Muggle Art classes were taught at Hogwarts. This classroom had six easels, three paintings on the walls, a cabinet, a table, and the teacher's desk.

Music classroom

This classroom was located in the Fifth-floor corridor of Hogwarts Castle. It was in this classroom that both the Music and Muggle Music classes were taught at Hogwarts.

Other locations on the fifth floor

Fifth-floor boys' restroom Classroom 5B Fifth-floor corridor Fifth Floor hospital tower corridor Fifth Floor classroom

Muggle Studies showroom Icy Corridor and one of the Cursed Vaults Ravenclaw Tower staircase

Sixth floor

Sixth-floor corridor

The sixth-floor corridor was one of the many corridors in Hogwarts Castle. It included a professor's office and some kind of bird that Draco Malfoy used in his plan to mend the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. It was very similar to the Seventh-floor corridor.

It was also connected to Horace Slughorn's Staircase to the North Tower and to the sixth floor of the Grand Staircase in the Grand Staircase Tower.

East Wing

This was a large hall located on the sixth floor of Hogwarts Castle. There was a huge fireplace in the centre of the room and some portraits hung on the walls. There were various suits of armour, which guarded the room after the sun was down. The entrance was located on Glanmore Peakes' Corridor, and it had an entryway to the room where Fred and George Weasley hid the Marauder's Map.

Sixth-floor boys' bathroom

There was a passage leading from this bathroom to the seventh floor.

Disused bathroom

This bathroom was accessible through a portrait in the reading room, as well as a door on the other side of the castle, adjacent to Glanmore Peakes' Corridor. It was unused prior to 1991, by which time Fred and George Weasley had taken up residence there and set up their own shop for Gryffindor students. In 1993, the twins abandoned the bathroom and set up their shop in a different bathroom on the seventh floor.

Study of Ancient Runes Classroom

This classroom was where Study of Ancient Runes and Ancient Studies classes were taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It included some desks, a bookcase and a lectern for the professor.

Horace Slughorn's office

This office was once used by then-Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Galatea Merrythought, it was later used by Horace Slughorn, Potions Master. Fairly roomy, this office included a fireplace with two large sofas surrounding it, a round dinner table big enough to sit ten people, and access to a private balcony. It had enough space to hold a Christmas party. Also, the room had two entrance doors, with at least one connecting to the sixth-floor corridor.

Room of Rewards

Not to be confused with the Trophy Room, the Room of Rewards was a secret room at Hogwarts that noted students' various achievements. It could be accessed via the portrait of Vindictus Viridian on the Grand Staircase.

Other locations on the sixth floor

• Classroom 6A
• Storeroom
• Sixth-floor empty classroom
• Glanmore Peakes' Corridor
• Writing Supplies Room
• West Tower battlements

Seventh floor

Ravenclaw Head's office

The Ravenclaw Head's office was the thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. The office contained portraits, a desk, and sleeping quarters. This was where Sirius Black was held captive, awaiting the Dementor's Kiss in 1993. He was rescued by Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, and escaped on Buckbeak the Hippogriff.

Room of Requirement

The Room of Requirement was a secret room in Hogwarts that only appeared when a person was in great need of it. The room transformed itself into whatever the witch or wizard needed it to be at that moment. It was believed that the room was Unplottable, as it did not appear on the Marauder's Map, nor did its occupants, although this could simply be because James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew, who were the Marauders, never found the room.

Hall of Hexes

The Hall of Hexes was a hall on the seventh-floor of Hogwarts Castle, close to the Room of Requirement.

Arithmancy classroom

The Arithmancy Classroom was where Arithmancy classes were taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was located on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle. It included number charts, a blackboard and large rows of tables for students to sit in. It might also have been where Advanced Arithmancy Studies was taught.

Fat Lady's Corridor

This corridor contained the portrait of the Fat Lady that served as the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. The corridor was at least one turn away from the Grand Staircase. In the 1993–1994 school year, security trolls were stationed here to protect the Fat Lady following the attack on her by Sirius Black.

North Wing

This wing had hundreds of bookshelves lined along the walls and various tables and furniture placed around the room. It served the Castle as a reading room and study hall. There were two entrances; one in the seventh floor corridor and the other by the Fat Lady's portrait.

Disused bathroom

This bathroom was accessible through a portrait in the reading room, it had not been used since sometime prior to 1993. In that year, Fred and George Weasley moved their shop from a bathroom on the sixth floor to this one.

Divination Classroom

This was where Divination classes were taught at Hogwarts. It was located in the North Tower. It was accessible through a circular trapdoor and was described as looking like a cross between somebody's attic and an old-fashioned teashop. The Divination Staircase led to this classroom.

Divination Professor's office

This office was the workplace and residence of the Divination professor. It was located up a small staircase from the Divination Classroom.

Other locations on the seventh floor

• Classroom 7B
• Classroom 7C
• Gryffindor Tower
• Ravenclaw Tower
• Seventh-floor corridor

Staircases

The castle had a hundred and forty two staircases.

Staircases between levels below ground

• Dungeon Staircase (Deathday Party Hall to the Dungeon Corridor)

Staircases ascending from below ground-level

• Entrance Dungeon staircase (Entrance Dungeon to the Quad)
• Quidditch staircase (from Quidditch Gate to the Training Grounds)
• Slughorn's Staircase (dungeons to the seventh-floor corridor; also allowing access to the sixth-floor corridor)
• Slughorn's Stairs (Dungeon Corridor to the Entrance Hall)

Staircases ascending from ground-floor

• Herbology staircase (ground-floor of the greenhouse tower upwards)
• Hogwarts Turris Magnus staircase
• Marble Staircase (Entrance Hall to the first-floor corridor)
• Staircase between the courtyard corridor and the Serpentine Corridor
• Staircase between the ground-floor and the second-floor corridor
• Staircase between the ground-floor corridor and the second-floor corridor
• Suspension Bridge staircase (ground-floor corridor to the third-floor corridor)

Staircases ascending from first-floor

• Staircase between the first-floor corridor and the second-floor corridor
• Staircase between the first-floor corridor and the Serpentine Corridor
• Staircase between the library corridor and the second-floor corridor

Staircases ascending from the second-floor

• Staircase between the second-floor arcade and the third-floor

Staircases ascending from the third-floor

• Clock Tower staircase (Clock Tower Entrance to the fifth-floor hospital tower corridor; also allowing access to the fourth-floor hospital tower corridor)
• Turret Stairwell (third-floor to a turret)

Staircases ascending from the fourth-floor

• Hospital tower staircase (fourth-floor corridor to the fourth-floor hospital tower corridor)
• Secret stairway from the fourth floor to the seventh floor (fourth-floor corridor to the Fat Lady's Corridor)

Staircases ascending from the sixth-floor

• Staircase between the sixth-floor and the seventh-floor corridor

Staircases ascending from the seventh-floor

• Divination Stairwell (Divination corridor to the Divination Classroom's landing)
• Griffin Stairwell (seventh-floor corridor to the Headmaster's Tower)
• Grumpy Staircase (seventh-floor corridor to a turret)

Staircases ascending from an unknown floor

• Astronomy Stairs (to the Astronomy classroom)
• Ravenclaw Tower staircase (to the Ravenclaw common room)
• Staircase to the West Tower battlements
• Swivelling staircase

Towers

Astronomy Tower

The Astronomy Tower was the tallest tower at Hogwarts Castle, surrounded by a parapet and turret. It is where students studied the stars and planets through their telescopes in Astronomy lessons with Professor Aurora Sinistra. This was usually done at midnight when the stars were best seen. The tower was usually out-of-bounds except for classes. All the way down from the boathouse, one could see the huge window of the Astronomy Tower.

Located within this tower was the Astronomy Corridor, Astronomy reading room, Astronomy classroom, Astronomy stairwell, Astronomy department and the Astronomy Room. In 1997, Hogwarts' headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was killed here on this tower by his eventual successor, Severus Snape. However, it was planned between Dumbledore and Snape to spare Draco Malfoy being a murderer and spare the headmaster from a slow painful death. This was because Dumbledore's hand was affected by a dangerous curse created by Tom Marvolo Riddle, to protect his Horcrux (Marvolo Gaunt's ring).

Bell towers

The Bell towers were two towers that rose over the main entrance to the Herbology Greenhouses. Between the two towers were a set of double wooden doors which led along the Ground Floor Corridor. Inside the left bell tower was Filch's Office.

Clock Tower

The Clock Tower did not begin at the Ground Floor level. Because it was placed on top of a hill, the Tower began at the Third Floor level. In the entrance to the Tower, there was a huge space, like an Entrance Hall with flights of wooden stairs at the right and left side. The first landing was at the Fourth Floor level. It was at this landing where the clock's gears and face were.

This same corridor connected the Tower to the remaining castle. Up another flight of wooden stairs was another landing, this time at the Fifth Floor level. It was in this landing that the clock's bells were; some massive gold and copper bells. There was another corridor at this landing; like the other, it linked the Tower to the main castle.

Dark Tower

The Dark Tower was a small but high tower near the Transfiguration Courtyard at Hogwarts Castle. This tower seemed to be used as a prison. It had several prison cells, with the topmost being at the roof. The cells were not, however, charmed or otherwise protected against breaking-in from the outside. It had seven floors.

Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower

Hogwarts Turris Magnus was among the largest towers of the Hogwarts Castle. It stood next to the Viaduct Entrance, overlooking the Suspension Bridge and the Training Grounds. It had a semi-circular shape.

The tower was home to Minerva McGonagall's office on the first floor, the third floor and Serpentine Corridors, Classrooms 3C and 7A, Lost Wands store and the Ghoul Studies classroom on the third. A staircase ran through the centre of the tower.

Grand Staircase Tower

The Marble Staircase Tower was one of the many towers of Hogwarts Castle. It was one of the most prominent and recognisable features of the castle, dominating the skyline near the Great Hall and the Quad. The tower was extremely large, spanning all seven floors as well as the basement level and countless attic-level rooms, judging from the many dormer windows in its conical roof. There were three smaller turrets on the roof of the tower.

The Marble Staircase Tower received its name from the Marble Staircase, a large staircase which connected the Entrance Hall to the Grand Staircase. The Grand Staircase itself, consuming most of the space in the tower in a large, rectangular room, spanned at least eight storeys and had large windows that looked out over the Quad.

Gryffindor Tower

Gryffindor Tower was located behind the portrait of the Fat Lady on the Seventh Floor of Hogwarts Castle. A Password was required to enter it, which was spoken to the portrait. A circular hole was behind the painting, leading to the common room, which was a circular room where Gryffindor students could relax after a long day of studying. The common room was full of squashy armchairs, tables, and a bulletin board where school notices, ads, lost posters, etc. could be posted. A window looked out onto the grounds of the school, and a large fireplace dominated one wall.

The Gryffindor dormitories were also located in the Tower, with two doors leading off from the common room that opened to spiral staircases. One of them led to the girls dormitory, the other to the boys. The stairs to the girls dormitories were enchanted to become a slide if any boy attempted to climb them, but not vice-versa, since it was deemed that girls were more trustworthy than boys.

Headmaster's Tower

The Headmaster's office was located within this tower. To gain entrance, a password had to be given to a stone gargoyle, which would move aside at the correct password to reveal a spiral staircase with moving steps. The office was a circular room with windows, decorated with portraits of previous Headmasters including Dilys Derwent and Phineas Nigellus Black. Many magical instruments were kept here, such as the Sorting Hat and the Pensieve.

Hospital Tower

The hospital tower was one of the many towers of Hogwarts Castle which had a semi-ovular shape. It was located on one side of The Quad and was at the end of the hospital corridor which connected the Clock Tower to the rest of the castle. On the fourth floor of the tower was the Hospital Wing and school matron's office. There was also a staircase that led to the fourth-floor corridor and, by extension, to the Grand Staircase.

There was also a secret passage behind a bookshelf in the matron's office. The Prefects' Bathroom was located on the fifth floor, just above the hospital wing.

he Hospital Wing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was run by Madam Poppy Pomfrey. Students who suffered mishaps during the school year were sent or brought to the hospital wing for treatment.

North Tower

The North Tower was one of the many towers in the castle. The tower was the location for Divination classes and the Divination teacher's office. The entrance consisted of a ladder leading through a trap door.

Ravenclaw Tower

Ravenclaw Tower was located on the west side of Hogwarts. The staircas leading up to the common room was presumably located on the fifth floor, and was the location of the Ravenclaw common room and dormitories.

The entrance to the room was at the top of a spiral staircase, and was a door without doorknob or keyhole but a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. In order to enter the room, one had to answer a question asked by the eagle knocker; if a student answered wrong, they had to wait for someone who got it right.

Stone Bridge Tower

This was one of the four towers surrounding The Quad. It overlooked the Stone Bridge. The first floor landing of the tower went over here connecting the First-floor corridor to the Stone Bridge.

West Tower

The Owlery was located on the top of this tower. During the winter months, the tower was very cold, to the point that one had to be careful with ice on the higher landings. A tightly spiralling staircase led from the bottom of the tower on the seventh floor up to a door leading out onto the battlements.

Other towers

• Central tower
• Founders' Tower
• Herbology tower
• Octagon Tower
• Right Long Gallery tower
• Suspension Bridge towers
• Second-floor girls' lavatory tower
• Training Grounds tower
• Turris Magnus
• Turris Medius
• Quidditch tower

The grounds

Gamekeeper's Hut

The gamekeeper's hut was located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper during Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts, lived here for many years.

Forbidden Forest

Also known as Dark Forest or Black Forest, the forest bordered the edges of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry grounds. As its name suggests, it was strictly off limits to students - except in the case of detention, or Care of Magical Creatures lessons that occasionally took place there. Of course, with the various dangerous creatures, such as centaurs, Thestrals, unicorns, Hippogriffs and Acromantulas living in the Forest, few students would probably even want to venture into it.

Greenhouses and gardens

There were at least three greenhouses in which Herbology classes were held, under Professor Sprout's supervision. Greenhouse Three was restricted to students as it housed dangerous plants such as Venomous Tentaculas, Mandrakes, and others.

Vegetable patch

Within the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there was a vegetable patch (sometimes referred as vegetable gardens), roughly between the Hogwarts greenhouses and Hogwarts Castle. After taking Felix Felicis, Harry Potter bumped into Horace Slughorn at the vegetable patch while travelling to Hagrid's Hut. The vegetable patch sometimes flooded when it rained.

Great Lake

The Great Lake was a large body of water located to the south of the castle. It was about half a mile in diameter and the Hogwarts plumbing network drained into it. It was home to a giant squid and a colony of Merpeople. The lake was also used as the site of the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament.

Quidditch pitch

The school had its own Quidditch pitch, where each house's Quidditch teams practised and played games against each other. Each year would see a total of six inter-house matches, along with numerous training sessions by each house team.

Quidditch Gate

The Quidditch Gate was the entrance to the Quidditch Pitch. It was flanked by two stone structures which resembled two of the spectator towers surrounding the pitch. Inside the gate, several trophies and shields were housed. Through the gates led to a steep winding downhill decent from the vicinity of the Wooden Bridge.

Entrance Gates

The Entrance Gates to Hogwarts were located a short distance from Hogsmeade station. The gates would be opened on the first day of term and carriages pulled by Thestrals would take students up to the castle. The Entrance Gates were made of magnificent wrought iron and were flanked by two columns topped with statues of winged boars. Just a few yards from the gates was a small guardhouse with a tall chimney.

Clock Tower Courtyard

The Clock Tower Courtyard was a cloister on the base of the Clock Tower at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This cloister seemed to be one of the older parts of the castle, and the ceiling and walls were dilapidated. It also led to the Wooden Bridge.

Wooden Bridge

The Wooden Bridge was a feature of Hogwarts Castle. The bridge appeared derelict, and was constructed of wood beams which extended to the floor of the ravine it lay across. The roof of the Wooden Bridge was sagging and appeared thatched and tarred. The bridge blended in with the natural environment surrounding it.

The Wooden Bridge began at one end of the Clock Tower Courtyard, at the base of the Clock Tower. At the end of the Wooden Bridge there was a small stone gazebo with benches. Outside of it was the Sundial Garden. Given its unstable look it was possibly held up by magic.

Training Grounds

This was where Flying classes were taught to first years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Madam Hooch. The grounds were flat, short-cut grassy areas and were located near the Herbology greenhouses. It was overlooked by the Training Grounds tower.

White Tomb

The White Tomb was the only grave at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Located on the shores of the Lake, it was the final resting place of Albus Dumbledore, who willingly gave his life in the service of the Order of the Phoenix fighting Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters in the course of the Second Wizarding War.

Castle Ramparts

The Castle Ramparts were a series of ancient rooms and corridors which surrounded the castle grounds. Along with the magical protective enchantments that Hogwarts employed, these ramparts served as a physical barrier of entry to anyone wishing to access Hogwarts. The many rooms hidden within these ramparts also served as good hiding locations, such as for the Caged Bathtub during the 19th century.

Other locations on the grounds

• Entrance footpath
• Gargoyle Gate
• Road to Hogwarts
• Rubeus Hagrid's pumpkin patch
• Stone Circle
• Secret room near the Training Grounds
• Rubeus Hagrid's garden
• Waterfall by Hogwarts Castle
• Bowtruckle Island

Unknown locations

Book of Monster's Repair Workshop

The Book of Monster's Repair Workshop was one of the rooms at Hogwarts Castle that was seen on the Marauder's Map. It was, presumably, the place where damaged copies of The Monster Book of Monsters were repaired.

Cauldron cupboard

The Cauldron cupboard was one of the rooms seen on the Marauder's Map. It was possibly a store room where cauldrons were kept. It is possible that the cupboard was close to the Potions Classroom or Snape's provisions cupboard.

Stink Bomb Store

The Stink Bomb Store was one of the rooms seen on the Marauder's Map. It was possibly an illegal store, because when a Hogwarts Professor burst in, the students inside it ran out of the room. It was (possibly) the place where Stink Bombs and Dungbombs were sold.

Serpentine Corridor

This was a wide, curved corridor in the Hogwarts Turris Magnus at Hogwarts Castle. One could access the Defence Against the Dark Arts, Ghoul Studies and Arithmancy Classrooms through this corridor, as well as Lost Wands.

Other unknown locations

• Ghoul Studies classroom
• Runic Corridor
• Lost Wands
• Hieroglyphic Hall
• Ædificium Oriens
• Room of Doom
• Room of Runes
• Way to Courtyard
• Porticus Circumscriptus
• Porticus Imago
• Porticus Medius
• Porticus Olidus
• Porticus Periculum
• Lower Chambers Portrait Corridor
• Apothecary department
• Horace Slughorn's first office
• Rolanda Hooch's office
• Hogwarts laundry
• Shop
• Assembly hall
• The Grindylow Lagoon
• Hogwarts attic
• Prowling Passage
• Poltergeist Passage
• Undercover route to the Kitchens
• Study Hall
• Care of Magical Creatures classroom
• First year written exams classroom
• Detention Escape Route
• Lower Chambers Corridor North-East
• Lower Chambers Corridor West
• Vestibule of Mischief
• Resting Chamber of Lord Voldemort

Behind the scenes

"When it came to the third film, Alfonso really wanted to put his mark on the films. And then a lot of things altered: anything from character looks, to the actual layout of Hogwarts itself."

— Warwick Davis

Hogwarts castle as depicted on the back book cover of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Signature-edition

• When explaining the concept of Legilimency to Harry Potter, Snape said that many ancient spells and charms guard the Hogwarts walls and grounds, ensuring the inhabitants' safety.
• It's seen that the interiors are not equal to exteriors of Hogwarts. (Ex: Curved walls inside, straight walls outside. Wide inside, narrow outside.) But this is possibly because Hogwarts is supported by magic.
• Hogwarts has different architecture in every adaptations and illustrations: Gothic the film adaptation, Medieval in the first three games and Mary GrandPre's illustration, Japonism in Kazu Kibuishi's, Flamboyant/Romanesque in Pottermore, and another different styles according to the version. But it is possibly it has its own unique architecture as Hogwarts is supported by magic, making it unique.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the entrance to Dumbledore's office is located in the Middle Courtyard, but in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the entrance is located next to the Viaduct Courtyard. In both locations, the gargoyle must have to move quite a way to get to the tower or possibly there could be some kind of magical short-cut.
• Pottermore has a feature on designing Hogwarts Castle.

Differences between books, films, and video games

Throughout the Harry Potter films, Hogwarts Castle has changed significantly:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Hogwarts in Philosopher's Stone

In the Philosopher's Stone film, only the parts of the castle that were needed for the film were created. This means that many areas of Hogwarts were missed. Areas of the castle included in the film were:

• The Great Hall
• The Grand Staircase Tower
• The Chamber of Reception
• The Viaduct
• The Viaduct Entrance
• The Central tower
• The Bell towers
• The Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower
• The Training Grounds tower
• The Transfiguration Courtyard
• The Quad
• The Training Grounds
• The Stone Bridge
• The Suspension Bridge
• The Boathouse
• Hagrid's Hut
• The Quidditch Pitch

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hogwarts Castle in Chamber of Secrets

In the Chamber of Secrets film, there are a few small changes:

• The Training Grounds tower's design has been changed, it now looks similar to the Clock Tower, only without the clock.
• The Training Grounds have been redesigned to have a more ruined aged design.
• The Greenhouses are added to the east corner of the castle below the Bell towers.
• The Whomping Willow is added to the Training Grounds. It is possible that it was there in Philosopher's Stone, but it was never shown.
• A new staircase to the ground similar to the Boathouse staircase is added to the left side of the Chamber of Reception. It is possible that it was there in Philosopher's Stone, but it was never shown.
• A trench is added to the Quidditch stadium.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hogwarts in Prisoner of Azkaban

In the Prisoner of Azkaban film, there are some drastic changes that probably came about because of the new director, Alfonso Cuarón. But, the main shape of Hogwarts is still there:

• The Clock Tower, Clock Tower Courtyard, the Wooden Bridge and Sundial Garden are added to the back of the castle.

• The new stair from the Chamber of Reception is removed
• The Central tower and Bell towers now have taller, more gothic shapes.
• The Dark Tower is added in between the DADA Tower and Central Tower, replacing the Transfiguration Classroom.
• The DADA tower is moved slightly and a new Durham-style transept is placed at its base.
• Hagrid's Hut is moved down the hill at the back of the castle and a Pumpkin Patch is added.
• The Whomping Willow is moved from the Training Grounds to slightly down the hill from the Sundial Garden and off the path toward Hagrid's hut.

Inside the castle there are the following changes:

• Dumbledore's Owl Podium makes its first appearance in this film.
• The bronze statue of the Hogwarts Architect in the Entrance Hall has been removed (though it returns in the fifth film).
• The extra corridor connecting the Entrance Hall to the Grand Staircase has been removed. The Grand Staircase is now directly connected to the Entrance Hall.
• The entrance to the Gryffindor common room is moved to the Grand Staircase.
• The Grand Staircase is made higher, and now has 10 stories.
• The furniture in the Gryffindor common room has been re-arranged and there are more portraits on the wall in this film than in the others. This is due to a scene which was cut from the final film in which Sir Cadogan moves through the portraits and talks to Professor McGonagall.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hogwarts in Goblet of Fire

In the Goblet of Fire film, there are the following changes:

• The Owlery is added on a hill behind the castle.
• A path from the Boathouse to the Quad is added.
• A new entrance is added to the southern side of the Quad, leading out to the new boathouse path.
• The Quad no longer has the grass verges, and is now a paved courtyard.
• The Viaduct Courtyard replaces the Chamber of Reception, which is still wrongly seen in some scenes.

Inside the castle there are the following changes:

• In the Great Hall, the raised wooden platform on which the Staff Table sits is modified slightly. A second, higher section is added, allowing for a second table to be placed in front of the existing one. This table appears to be where the people in charge of the Triwizard Tournament sit. The table disappears following this film, but the second raised section remains.
• In the Entrance Hall, the door leading into the Chamber of Reception is replaced with two large wooden doors that connect the Entrance Hall to the Viaduct Courtyard.
• The cabinets in the Headmaster's Office receive a slight makeover. They now have glass in the doors (as opposed to grilles). Also the Pensieve Cabinet has been added.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hogwarts in Order of the Phoenix

The Order of the Phoenix film sees the least changes as nothing noticeable happens to the castle. However:

• The roofs of the Viaduct Entrance towers are made steeper.
• Roofs are added to the turrets of the Clock Tower Courtyard.
• Roofs are added to the Northern towers on the Central Tower transepts.
• The Sundial Garden was removed from the entrance to the Wooden Bridge.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

In the Half-Blood Prince film, there are two major changes from the earlier films:

• The Astronomy Tower is added replaces the Dark Tower.
• The DADA Tower is removed.
• The Training Grounds Tower is redesigned once again.
• The Entrance Gates are added further down the hill to the back of Hogwarts. It is possible that these were present in the previous film adaptations but were not shown.
• The Central Tower is shortened by two stories to make the new Astronomy Tower seem taller.
• The Quidditch Pitch is moved to the opposite side of the Wooden Bridge beyond Hagrid's Hut. It is possible this change was there before, but not seen until Half-Blood Prince.
• An unnamed tower is removed from the front side of the Quad.
• The Lookout Tower has been redesigned, being thinner and taller than before. The turrey protruding from its side has been moved from the back to the front and steepened.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Hogwarts Castle minutes before the Battle of Hogwarts

The castle after the Battle of Hogwarts

While omitted from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 aside from a brief cameo appearance, once the film was released, it was shown that although the third film had the highest number of modifications to date, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has arguably the highest number of changes to prominent features and locations in and around Hogwarts. The noticeable changes to the castle are as follows:

• Viaduct Courtyard: It has been enlarged. Also, an archway opposite to the Entrance Hall doors connects it to the Viaduct and the floor has been modified. A short flight of stone steps that lead up to the castle doors has also been added.
• Entrance Hall: The walls are filled with Statues of Armour. The Architect of Hogwarts statue is replaced by the First Headmaster of Hogwarts statue.
• Viaduct Entrance: The two main larger towers on either side of the entrance have been made taller.
• The Quad: The Stone Bridge Tower has been changed into a tower resembling the one on top of the Astronomy Tower. A bridge has been added to the tower, connecting it to a little tower overlooking the Quad.
• Boathouse: It has a new design.
• Viaduct: It no longer connects the courtyard with the Viaduct Entrance, but now to land on the other side.
• The Grand Staircase has changed and has now taken on the appearance of a much bigger Marble Staircase, as in the books, there are fewer portraits, and the stairs do not move.
• The Wooden Bridge was made longer.
• The central tower design has a little modification.
• The Great Hall is higher and a Hogwarts crest is added to the centre of the back window, although it was broken at the end of Half Blood Prince, so it could have been replaced.
• The structure connecting the Entrance Hall to the Grand Staircase Tower has been shortened by 1 floor and has two small windows looking out onto the courtyard as opposed to one large one.

It should be noted that the castle shown burning in the teaser poster is actually the look of Hogwarts in Half-Blood Prince.

Most of these modifications were made in order to make the castle more convenient for the battle scene in the film. Changes were also made to match the tone of the film, as many of the fanciful elements of the castle that were present in the previous films were removed to match the darker and more violent tone of the final film.

Many of these edits to the castle's layout throughout the films can be explained as the effect of the school's ability to change its architecture by magic. However, certain elements, such as the Ravenclaw Tower, can be considered to have always been a part of the castle and simply never seen until the film they are introduced in, and the movement of the Viaduct and the redesign of the Grand Staircase in Deathly Hallows. The grounds around the castle seem to have change great throughout the films too, most notably in Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows Part 2.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Hogwarts in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

First Concept Art of Hogwarts WWHP

Final Concept Art of Hogwarts WWHP

A castle has been built in Universal Orlando Studios for the Forbidden Journey in the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park". It includes:

• The Great Hall
• The Grand Staircase Tower
• The Astronomy Tower
• The Viaduct and Viaduct Entrance
• The Viaduct Courtyard and the Stone Bridge
• Hagrid's Hut and the Whomping Willow
• Filch's office

Although it is based on the castle seen in Half-Blood Prince, most of it is missing and it differs greatly from the one seen in the films:

• The Viaduct is not connected to the Viaduct Courtyard.
• The Entrance Hall is not connected to the Grand Staircase Tower.
• The Astronomy Tower takes the place of the Central tower.
• The Stone Bridge is only connected to the Grand Staircase Tower not the right Viaduct Entrance Tower.
• The stone bridge took the place of an archway building connecting the Grand Staircase Tower to the Stone Bridge Tower.
• Elements such as the Boathouse, the Sundial Garden, and the Wooden Bridge are missing.
• The Great Lake is also missing, but this is understandable as the lake takes up a great deal of space around the castle that was unavailable to the park. Also, it was required that the castle be easily accessible to visitors.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

The castle seen during the ride is Hogwarts as seen in Half-Blood Prince, but there are some differences:

• The new Boathouse from Deathly Hallows is added.
• A skinnier version of the new tower seen in the Deathly Hallows trailers, adjacent to the Stone Bridge Tower, can be seen.

The Queen's Handbag

The castle seen here is the same as seen in the first film.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Hogwarts as seen in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Hogwarts in the LEGO Harry Potter game seems to be based on the castle seen in Prisoner of Azkaban, although it is based on the first four films. Presumably this is because it includes the Entrance Hall Antechamber which only appears in the first three films; also, the Central and Bell towers have the shape used from the third film onwards. However, the Clock Tower is not connected to the castle like in the films. Additionally, it seems that the Whomping Willow will change location from the second to third year as it does in the films. The North Tower also receives its own courtyard, the North Tower courtyard.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Hogwarts as seen in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Hogwarts in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 seems to be based on the castle seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. However, there are some differences. The Astronomy Tower does not overlook the Middle Courtyard, and the Dark Tower is there instead, last seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film). The Boathouse, the Training Grounds tower and the Stone Bridge tower remain unchanged, and there are two Viaducts: one connecting the Viaduct Courtyard to the Viaduct Entrance, and the other connecting the same courtyard to the grounds, as it does in the last film adaptation. Despite that, the two checkpoint towers are not there. Finally, the Defence Against the Dark Arts tower is still there.

• Entrance Hall
  • Great Hall
  • Fountain Courtyard
    • Storage Room
• Grand Staircase
• West Tower courtyard
• North Tower courtyard
  • Astronomy Tower
  • Divination Classroom
• Common room Corridor
  • Gryffindor common room
  • Ravenclaw Tower
  • Hufflepuff Basement
  • Slytherin Dungeon
• Classroom Foyer
  • Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor's office
  • Potions Classroom
• Charms corridor
  • Charms Classroom
• Hogwarts Foyer
  • Library
• Chamber of Secrets
• Boathouse
• Seventh-floor corridor
  • Room of Requirement
  • Horace Slughorn's second office
• Viaduct Courtyard
• Headmaster's office
• Grounds
  • Wooden Bridge
  • Sundial Garden
  • Hagrid's Hut
  • Quidditch pitch
  • Thestral Clearing
  • Forbidden Forest
• Entrance Gates
  • Entrance Gates Courtyard

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

The Hogwarts Castle shown in cutscenes, etc. are from the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. However, there are some changes present:

• The suits of armour is present in the Entrance Hall
• Hagrid's Hut is just off the Training Grounds

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Hogwarts as seen in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The Hogwarts shown in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is based off of the design set in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 prior to the Battle of Hogwarts.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Hogwarts as seen in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

The castle shown in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is based off the design in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 like Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Design mistakes

The castle was not designed as a perfect marriage between the exterior models and the interior film sets. While great efforts were made to design a seamless castle, many mistakes were made. These have resulted in real-life problems when trying to make models of the castle that include the interiors. The developers of the tie-in video games sometimes created interiors that could not possibly fit inside the exterior walls. The video game developers were able to hide these mistakes with clever loading zones and camera angles, as well as using different exterior models (that sometimes have missing areas) depending on where the player is. Starting with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game), the interior of the castle was designed to precisely match what was seen in the corresponding film while using the same official exterior model.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)

• The Great Hall is positioned much higher than it should be. As a result, the Chamber of Reception is positioned far too low for corresponding interior to meet at the Great Hall's floor level. It is therefore impossible for the Chamber of Reception's stairs to get high enough to connect to the Entrance Hall.
• The side windows of the Chamber of Reception do not exactly match the corresponding windows on the model.
• The windows inside the Chamber of Reception are two units wide, while the corresponding windows on the model are three units wide.
• The small staircase behind the staff table in the Great Hall is architecturally impossible because the exterior wall is right where the door opens.
• The Gryffindor common room's film set does not match the model. There is a window to the left of the fireplace than cannot possibly fit unless the entire area protrudes from the rest of the Quad by more than several metres. This area is only shown to protrude a metre or two on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)'s model.
• Despite the need for a dormitory for each gender by year, the Gryffindor common room shows that there are only two rooms, and Harry's year lives in the same boys' room every year. There should be at least fourteen rooms in total.
• The Library's windows do not match up. The smaller windows on the side should be lower and taller on the model.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)

• The Entrance Hall has a new, larger window to the left that is not represented on the exterior model. The model uses the architecture from the previous film, which presumably had the Entrance Hall's window represented by the fourth window (in the lower set) of the Chamber of Reception building. That other window is also still on the model.
• The new film set for the Hospital Wing was introduced without it being represented by the exterior model of the castle.
• There is no tower that supports the shape or windows of the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom.
• The entrance to Dumbledore's office is shown to be near the Middle Courtyard, despite the office being located at the top of the Marble Staircase Tower.
• The Middle Courtyard as shown at the end of the film is architecturally impossible. Sunlight can be seen from both sides of the cloister pathway and the end of the pathway shows the valley area, despite the entire courtyard being surrounded by the castle.
• The set for Dumbledore's office is larger in scale than it is represented on the model. The windows are also incorrect. This happened because the area of the model was not updated when they designed the film set.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)

• The Entrance Hall's window is made even larger but is still not represented on the model.
• The Grand Staircase is now directly connected to the Entrance Hall. However, this is impossible on the exterior model, which retains the link building from the previous films that is much lower than the Great Hall's window level. In fact, the Great Hall building's lower balcony (which is at the floor level of the Hogwarts kitchens) also partly serves as the roof of the link building.
• The new location of the Gryffindor common room at the top of the Grand Staircase does not fit the shape of the Marble Staircase Tower. Because exterior shots of the common room later in the series still show the original location, it is possible that the Fat Lady painting now is a portrait passage.
• The Clock Tower is only connected to the rest of the castle by the Hospital Wing. This means that the only way to physically access the clock tower would be to go to the back of the Quad and go up a small set of stairs that lead up to directly outside the Hospital Wing. It is possible that there are secret passages or portrait passages used by students in-universe.
• The big window in the back of the Grand Staircase room is shown to have moved inward so that it lines up with the wall. However, this is impossible because blueprints show that that Quad has extra space between the room's wall and the exterior, meaning that the window must be outward from the Grand Staircase room's wall like it was in the first film.
• The Divination classroom appears to be too large to fit inside the top of the North Tower. Its film set, recycled from the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, also does not fit anywhere.
• The Divination stairwell's windows require that it be located inside a small circular tower, none of which exist on the model in the correct location.
• Several shots used a previous Hogwarts model instead of the Prisoner of Azkaban model in order to get a better view of the lake. These shots are notably missing the Clock Tower and the Wooden Bridge, both of which replaced what used to be a lake behind the castle. These shots include Buckbeak's flight over the lake and the end of the film when Harry rides his Firebolt.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)

• With the addition of the Viaduct Courtyard, the designers forgot to add the stairs up to the Great Hall that were previously represented by the Chamber of Reception. As a result, the Great Hall is now positioned lower than it had been previously. The designers also forgot to adjust the windows to make the exterior model match the film set. The model has the smaller set of windows at the bottom, while the film set only has the larger set of windows. It is believed that the smaller set of windows were originally designed to represent the Hogwarts Kitchens, but that area was never seen in the films. This issue remained unfixed until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
• The new model also added a connector hallway between the Entrance Hall and the Grand Staircase. This is not seen at all in the films until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, where its size was decreased.
• There is no tower that supports the shape and windows of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts staircase.
• The extended area of the Defence Against the Dark Arts office doesn't fit anywhere on the model.
• Despite Harry's dormitory being shown as the highest one in the tower but being on the same level as the girl's dormitory, the model's version of the tower has at least one extra floor that exceeds the height of the corresponding area where the girls' dormitories are.
• A larger model used to film closeups for the First Task revised the design of Dumbledore's office to make it more accurate to the film set (but still not entirely accurate). However, the main model has remained unfixed. The improved version does appear at the Universal Wizarding World of Harry Potter versions of the castle though.
• The Middle Courtyard's scene was filmed at a new location that has trees and bushes. The courtyard on the model does not reflect this and still has only grass.
• There is a shot during the Second Task that uses a previous Hogwarts model in the background, which still has the Chamber of Reception.
• The establishing shot of the Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower after the Third Task is a mirrored shot, which was done for unknown reasons. The Training Grounds tower appears to the right when it is supposed to be to the left.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)

• There is no part of the castle's exterior that directly corresponds with the hallway (Hall of Hexes) near the Room of Requirement's entrance.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)

• The Potions classroom was redesigned to be in a plus shape. This version has windows on eleven of the twelve sides. This is impossible, not only because it is housed in a circular tower, but because many of the sides are blocked by terrain and thus cannot have windows emitting light (although the concept of enchanted windows in seemingly impossible locations features in the books, i.e. the underground British Ministry of Magic Headquarters). Only the window in the back of the room is possible, and it was shown in the Occlumency establishing shot in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film).
• The close-up establishing shot of the Astronomy Tower shortly after Ron's Quidditch victory appears to use a different model than the full-castle one that has differing details. The windows are bigger with a different pattern (and are closer to the top) and it shows a protruding spiral staircase on the right side of the rear. The main model has smaller windows and only a protruding tower on the left side of the rear. The interior set for this scene also seems to suggest that there are cloisters inside the Astronomy Tower.
• The set for the Herbology greenhouses has a tall wall with a doorway facing the lake, and may even be an interior area based on the lighting. The model does not have such an area and all of the greenhouses are located outside, unobstructed. Such a wall does exist on the other side of the greenhouses, however the door and the short wall behind it suggest that this shot is looking toward the lake, which is impossible.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

• The exterior model fixes the Great Hall's corresponding window issue by switching the positions of the smaller and larger sets of windows. However, the interior film set did not change from the previous versions and thus does not include these windows, which should now be visible below the ceiling.
• Students from a house in which the dormitories are located on the east side of the castle are shown marching to the Great Hall through the Viaduct Courtyard, even though the viaduct bridge that connects the two areas together was removed.
• The redesign of the Grand Staircase shows that the area of the stairs far exceeds the area of the Marble Staircase Tower.
• There is no tower that supports the shape and windows of the narrow staircase that leads up to the Ravenclaw common room.
• The cloister where Harry talks to the Grey Lady does not appear to correspond with any of the model's courtyards. It might be a new elevated cloister surrounding the Quad, but its size is too small and its nearby windows do not match up with that Quad.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

• The circular window at the top of the front of the Great Hall is emitting sunlight. This is impossible. The window was left over from the first iteration of Hogwarts that does not include the revised Entrance Hall. The revised Entrance Hall should be blocking any means of the window accessing sunlight.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

• The Hall of Hexes has been moved to right outside of the Hospital Wing's location since Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film). The exterior of the Hospital Wing area is the same. However, the interior set of the Hall of Hexes has not been updated to match the exterior of the Hospital Wing area.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• The Road to Hogwarts Sweepstakes
• Harry Potter Official Site
• Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Creator: Harry Potter
• Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Wonderbook: Book of Potions
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand
• Christmas at Hogwarts
• Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions