Harry Potter: After JK Rowling 'fact checks' the inspiration for the wizarding world, we look at more real-life movie locations
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In a shock social media post J K Rowling told fans where the Harry Potter books were really born!
JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series has 'fact checked' a few Harry Potter birth places!
Fans have believed up until now that a cafe in Edinburgh was the 'birth place' of Harry Potter as it was where JK Rowling is believed to have written the books.
However on social media, Rowling told her fans that the books were truly born in a small flat in London and she's run the rule over some other famous locations from the series.
Let's take a look at some of the places that REALLY are connected to books, films and TV shows.
Other places JK Rowling set the record straight on...
Interior of The Great Hall at Christ Church College in Oxford, used for the Harry Potter movies
The Shambles street in York is said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley - the magical merchant market for the wizarding world...
However Rowling has now confirmed that this is not the case!
She debunked this myth along with many others in a big social media thread, hinting she may do a fact vs fiction page on the Wizarding World website!
Goodwin's Court/Cecil Court in London, was said by many to be the inspiration for 'Knockturn' alley - she told social media that this suggestion made her laugh!
The first bricks of Hogwarts were laid in a flat in Clapham Junction.
The Simpsons: Springfield is a real place!
The Simpsons has always teased where the fictional town of Springfield is during its 30-year run. In one episode, for example, Lisa points to Springfield on a map, but the animated 'camera view' is blocked by Bart's head.
In a 2012 interview, creator Matt Groening revealed that he'd been inspired to write the Simpsons by the television show Father Knows Best, which took place in a place called Springfield in the American state of Oregon.
Two years later, he supported the installation of a large Simpsons mural in downtown Springfield, Oregon.
Sesame Street is real too!
Well, it is now...
Yes! A road in New York was been renamed Sesame Street to celebrate the children show's 50th birthday.
Big Bird, Elmo and the Cookie Monster were among the famous characters at a ceremony to reveal the permanent new sign.
Black Panther
The characters in Black Panther live in a fictional country called Wakanda.
According to Marvel, it's located in East Africa. The general consensus among Marvel experts is that it is on, or very close to, Lake Turkana, which is in northern Kenya.
Back when the film was released in 2018, one hotel booking website reported a 55% surge in searches for Wakanda!
Lots of people booked a place called Wakanda Park. However, it wasn't a technological metropolis in Africa. It was a water park in Wisconsin, US.
Star Wars
Some of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi was filmed on an island just off the shore of Kerry in Ireland called Skellig Michael.
Lots of people now visit the island via boat to get a glimpse of Luke Skywalker's hiding place.
Government officials in Ireland say it has massively boosted tourism in the region.
Balamory
What's the story Balamory, wouldn't you like to go?
Well, you can. The children's television favourite was filmed in a Scotland village called Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
Even though filming stopped in 2005, people still flock to the Isle to get a glimpse of the all their favourite locations from the series.
Do you have any 'famous' landmarks where you are? We would love to know about them, share them in the comments!
- Published29 March 2019
- Published2 May 2019
