Australia House, London

Just beyond Bush House, which once served as the home of the BBC's World Service, you'll find Australia House. This building, essentially an embassy for Australia within the British Commonwealth, was officially opened by King George V in 1918.

Yet, for devoted Harry Potter fans, this is more than just an embassy; it's firmly linked to Gringotts Bank, the exclusive financial institution of the wizarding world owned and operated by goblins. In J.K. Rowling's books, Gringotts' main offices are situated in North Side, Diagon Alley. Rubeus Hagrid even claims that, aside from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gringotts is the safest place in the entire wizarding realm. The bank played a significant role in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2." The filmmakers not only filmed within the actual Australia House location but also replicated it at Leavesden Studios.

The lavish Beaux Arts interior of Australia House, adorned with marble and colossal glass chandeliers, served as an ideal backdrop for Gringotts, offering the desired grandeur that contrasted perfectly with the bank's goblin inhabitants. Normally serving as the High Commission, it is not typically open to the public, requiring a valid reason such as official business, like visa applications, migration inquiries, or citizenship matters, for entry. However, if you approach the security guards politely, they may permit you to discreetly glimpse inside the chandeliered room where filming took place. Bear in mind 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:
The building sits on a multibranched intersection where the flow of traffic can be quite impressive to observe.