Quidditch pitch

"Zacharias Mumps describes the fourteenth-century pitch as oval-shaped, five hundred feet long and a hundred and eighty feet wide with a small central circle (approximately two feet in diameter) in the middle"

- The fourteenth-century pitch

A Quidditch pitch is typically in the shape of an oval, five hundred feet long and a hundred and eighty feet wide, with a small central circle of approximately two feet in diameter. At each end there are three hooped Goal Posts of different heights, surrounded by a scoring area. The early barrel-goals had been replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.

By 1620, scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game dictated that only one Chaser was allowed in these areas at any given time. In addition, the size of the baskets themselves had reduced considerably, although there was still a certain amount of variation between pitches. Regulations were finally introduced in 1883, which replaced the baskets with hoops of a fixed size.

Description
At the time of the introduction of the Golden Snitch, a standard Quidditch pitch consisted of an elongated oval playing area five hundred feet long and a hundred and eighty feet wide. It had a small circle at the centre, approximately two feet in diameter, from which all the balls were released at the start of the game. Because Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches usually feature spectator seating at high vantage points, whether in towers (such as at Hogwarts) or in a fully-encircling platform style (such as the British stadium that held the 1994 Quidditch World Cup).

Anti-Muggle security
"Choose areas of deserted moorland far from Muggle habitations and make sure that you cannot be seen once you take off on your brooms. Muggle-repelling charms are useful if you are setting up a permanent pitch. It is advisable, too, to play at night."

- Zacharias Mumps emphasizing the need for anti-Muggle security on pitches

Quidditch pitches are built in places where they will not attract Muggle attention. This began in 1398 when the wizard Zacharias Mumps emphasised the need for anti-Muggle security while playing the game. The advice of Mumps must not have always been followed as in 1362, the Wizards' Council outlawed playing Quidditch within fifty miles of a known Muggle town. This was amended in 1368, possibly due to growing popularity of the game. This amendment made the playing of the sport within one hundred miles of a Muggle town illegal. The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy of 1692 made all Ministries of Magic responsible for the consequences of magical sports in their territories. The Department of Magical Games and Sports was created for this purpose. Quidditch teams that flouted Ministry guidelines were disbanded. One such instance was the Banchory Bangers.

Burning Baskets
"Bring Back Our Baskets! This was the cry heard from Quidditch fans across the nation last night as it became clear that the Department of Magical Games and Sports had decided to burn the baskets used for centuries for goal-scoring in Quidditch"

- The Daily Prophet

In 1883, baskets were removed from the game and replaced by goalposts, much to the anger of Quidditch fans in Europe. The Quidditch pitch has not been altered since.

Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch
"Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the pitch so the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the pitch were golden poles with hoops on the end."

- The Quidditch Pitch

Hogwarts has its own pitch where Quidditch teams could practise, hold try-outs and play matches against each other. Each year will see a total of six inter-house matches (each house competing for the Quidditch Cup), along with numerous training sessions by each house team. The stands surrounding the pitch would be decorated differently for each Quidditch match at Hogwarts. Every second stand would be decorated with the colours of one team, and every other stand with the colours of the opposing team. Spectators would sit in between these stands.

"The Quidditch pitch was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it, twisting and criss-crossing in every directions"

- The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch use in the Third Task

In 1994, tall hedges were grown on it in order for it to be used as the location of the Triwizard Tournament's Third Task.

1994 Quidditch World Cup Final
"The pitch looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the pitch stood three goal posts, fifty feet high [...]"

- The Quidditch World Cup pitch

In 1994, the Quidditch World Cup final was held in England. It was surrounded by a forest and had certain protections around it so that Muggles would not be able to view, hear, nor penetrate the location. The stands for viewing surrounded the entire pitch, and rose dozens of stories into the air. There was also a Minister's Box, higher and in a better location than all the other seating areas. Cornelius Fudge, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Ludo Bagman, the Bulgarian Minister for Magic, and several others sat in this box.

International Pitches
The following pitches are those of the International Quidditch Teams:



The German Quidditch Stadium
The German stadium looks like a medieval walled city. It even has a fountain within its walls. The Neuschwanstein Castle can sometimes be seen in the background beyond the forest.

The French Quidditch Stadium
The stadium is located in France. It resembles the Palace of Versailles, with opulent gardens covering the field.



The Spanish Quidditch Pitch
This pitch is located in Spain. The stadium resembles Bull Fighting arena. It has huge stands that are made of stone. The whole pitch including the goal posts and stands, are a rocky brown-colour.



The Nordic-Team Quidditch Pitch
The pitch is located in Scandinavia. The stadium set in a massive glacier crevasse where small stands are located on. The goalposts are greenish-blue as well as the outline of the pitch.

The Australian Quidditch Stadium
This stadium is located in Australia. It is set in a rocky canyon hidden in The Central Australian Outback. Most of the pitch including the stands are the colour orange. There are flags set around the stands that bear the colours white and red with two kangaroos.



The American Quidditch Pitch
This home stadium is located in the New England area with a strong autumnal, colonial American feel. The stands are coloured in the Armerican flag colours, red, blue and white. On these stands jack-o-lanterns are lit. Small pumpkin patches spring on the field below.

The Japanese Stadium
The stadium is set in a Palace, with a massive koi pond replacing the field and the stands set in pagoda towers. The stands are huge with the colours of green, gold and red.

The Bulgaria Quidditch Stadium
The stadium is located in Bulgaria. It is set in a dark castle.



The English Quidditch Stadium
The stadium is loctated in England. The pitch is set in an old ivy-covered British castle. The stands are made of brick, small flags are set across the stands bearing the colours red, white and on some flags yellow.

Behind the scenes

 * In the movies, the pitches layout is different from the books. It is much more wider and has an larger centre circle with a halfway line.
 * In Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, most national teams have their own pitches.

Appearances



 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Quidditch Through the Ages
 * Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup