Australia House, London

Just past Bush House鈥攐nce the voice of the BBC鈥檚 World Service echoing across the globe鈥攜ou鈥檒l stumble upon a rather unassuming corner of London... unless you鈥檙e a wizard. Welcome to Australia House, the stately headquarters of the Australian High Commission (essentially, an embassy for Australia within the British Commonwealth). It opened in 1918, with King George V himself cutting the metaphorical ribbon. But let鈥檚 be real鈥攊f you鈥檙e a Harry Potter fan, you鈥檙e not here for visa info.

You鈥檙e here for Gringotts.

Yes, the goblin-owned-and-run, no-nonsense wizarding bank鈥攆amously known, according to Rubeus Hagrid, as the second safest place in the magical world (after Hogwarts, of course)鈥攚as filmed right here. The bank appeared in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 鈥� Part 2." Remember that jaw-dropping marble lobby with glinting colossal glass chandeliers and goblin scowls? Straight from Australia House鈥檚 Beaux Arts interior. The filmmakers loved it so much that they recreated it later at Leavesden Studios. But those first shots were pure embassy magic.

Now, don鈥檛 expect to just stroll in waving a wand and shouting "Alohomora." Australia House is still a working embassy. You need a proper reason鈥攕omething like a visa application or an official appointment鈥攖o get through those doors. But if you're charming (and not just in the magical sense), the security might let you peek at the grand chandeliered hall where the wizarding world's economy once jingled. Bear in mind, though, that Australia House is only open on weekdays, so if you visit on a weekend or public holiday, you won't be able to view the interior.

Tip:
It鈥檚 perched at a traffic-heavy junction, so even if you don鈥檛 get inside, you鈥檒l be treated to a surprisingly hypnotic display of London traffic choreography. Just don鈥檛 try to ride a dragon through it. That鈥檚 been done.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Australia House
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Harry Potter Walking Tour II

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