Harry Potter Alma Mater, Hogwarts, Gets A Shiny New Sheen As It Hits The Market

The English school that was recently renovated by The Comer Group, a British real estate company, is not just any academic building: it was one of the main filming doubles for the Harry Potter movie franchise’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The building, which is decked out in the Victorian Gothic interior design that Harry Potter movie fans grew to love, has recently been converted into a residential block consisting of town houses, luxury apartments, and detached homes set on 100 acres of park land. In total, 28 brand new living spaces have been made available, and there are plans to build 352 more apartments, an underground swimming pool, and a fitness club.

Harry Potter fans need not worry about the redesign and monetization of the building taking away the magical charm seen in the school (or insane asylum, depending on how you look at it) shown in the Harry Potter movies, though. Many of the features included in the Harry Potter films remain largely unchanged, and most can still be visited by the residents.

Perhaps the most notable Harry Potter movie location that can be visited is the dining hall (called the “great hall” in the films). The room will still be used as a communal hall, but now the residents of the building will be able to frequent it at their leisure.

Headmaster Dumbledore’s office tower is in the building, too, but it is actually part of one of the residential townhouses.

According to a report by The Daily Mail, the building was constructed in 1903 and was used as an actual non-magical school until 2009, when development on the residential project began. The fact that it was actively used for academic purposes did not stop film companies from using it as a set piece, though; the site was lusted after by directors because of its proximity to several nearby movie studios. In the years since it was built, the school has been a part of 400 films, including Monty Python’s Life of Bryan, Hot Fuzz, and, of course, the entire Harry Potter film series.

The Comer Group is aware that, although the Harry Potter crew may not be practicing magic there anymore, movie magic is definitely still present.

“It has a really interesting history. For filming, it was fantastic,” says a spokeswoman

The company’s awareness of how special the location is shows in the price – the spaces start at $1 million – but images of the project show that The Comer Group also made sure that the magical building’s living quarters were refurbished and refurnished in a luxurious fashion worthy of Harry Potter and his silver screen ancestors.

[Image via Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images]