Tom Quad and Tom Tower, Christ ChurchChrist Church, Oxford
- Best time
- Mornings; the hall closes to visitors when the college needs it
- Getting there
- About 15 minutes on foot from Oxford station
Why it’s in the log
Christ Church was founded by Henry VIII in 1546, out of Cardinal Wolsey's unfinished college, and it is the most visited college in Oxford, with almost half a million visitors a year.
Most come for the staircase up to the hall, under a single fan-vaulted pillar. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone it is where Professor McGonagall waits for the new first years, and it appears again in Chamber of Secrets. The hall itself, with its portraits and long tables, wasn't used for filming. It was recreated as the Great Hall set at Leavesden instead. It's still the college's working dining hall, so check opening times before you go.
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