Harry Potter and the film-makers' magic: Incredibly detailed model of Hogwarts Castle used for every film in blockbusting series is revealed for the first time


Ever since the first Harry Potter novel was released almost 15 years ago, children and adults alike have fantasised about visiting its famous boarding school for wizards and witches.



But, as these incredible pictures show, they need to dream no longer.



Whether you show magic ability or not - fans now have the opportunity to get as close to Hogwarts Castle as they are ever likely to get.

This extraordinary model of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is due to go on display for the first time.

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Incredible: This extraordinary model of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is due to go on display for the first time Proud: Jose Granell, model supervisor, is pictured with the model of Hogwarts Castle. It has been used for every one of the Harry Potter films Impressive: The model as it appears in the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

DANIEL RADCLIFFE USED 70 WANDS FILMING HARRY POTTER

Daniel Radcliffe went through 160 pairs of glasses and around 70 wands during filming of all eight films.

Over the series a total of 588 sets were created.

The Great Hall was one of the first sets built and is one of the only sets to be used in all eight films .

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Dumbledore's office was built surrounded by a large library of books which mostly contain copies of telephone directories or Yellow Pages

For Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2004 a giant water tank was built to film the underwater scenes for the Tri-wizard Tournament. It can hold two million litres of water and is the largest underwater filming tank in Europe.

For Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix the Ministry of Magic was built - the largest of all the sets created for any of the Harry Potter films. 50 London buses could fit inside the atrium and it took 22 weeks to construct out of MDF . .

Five 32-ton trucks worth of polystyrene were needed to create all the rubble for the destruction of Hogwarts at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Source: Warner Bros



The model was built for the first film - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - and has been used for exterior shots in every film since.

When all the time spent by 86 artists and crew members is added up, it took an incredible 74 years to build.



Measuring 50 feet across, it has more than 2,500 fibre optic lights to simulate lantern torches and students passing through hallways.



It even has miniature owls in the Owlery and hinges on the doors.



The castle, which was based on Durham Cathedral and Alnwick Castle, is now due to go on display as part of The Making Of Harry Potter studio tour at Leavesden Studios, near Watford.



Bafta award-winning production designer Stuart Craig designed and built the castle with the rest of his team.



He said: 'Everything to the right of the viaduct is in fact Durham Cathedral.



'But the profile has been changed so that there are tall, pointy spires so there’s plenty of theatrical exaggeration.



'It’s pretty extravagant, I have to say.'



The castle will be on display as part of the Warner Bros Harry Potter studio tour in London from March 31.

The tour promises: 'For the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began.

'You'll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros.

'Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time.

The three-hour tour will also take Harry Potter fans inside the Great Hall and Dumbledore’s office.

Visitors will also be able to step onto cobbles of Diagon Alley, walking past the the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.

Iconic props from the films, including Harry’s Nimbus 2000 broomstick and Hagrid’s motorcycle will be on display alongside life-sized models of some of the creatures from the films.

Other film sets included in the tour include the Gryffindor common room, the boys’ dormitory, Hagrid’s hut, Potion’s classroom and Professor Umbridge’s office at the Ministry of Magic.

Enormous: The castle was based on Durham Cathedral and Alnwick Castle. Stuart Craig, production manager, is dwarfed by the massive structure

Chance for all to see: The castle will go on display as part of The Making Of Harry Potter studio tour at Leavesden Studios, London

Durham cathedral (left) was used as the basis for 'everything to the right of the viaduct', but there was 'plenty of theatrical exaggeration', while Alnwick Castle (right) was both the basis for some the design of the castle and where the flying lesson scenes were filmed

