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[source]
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A **Quidditch pitch** was the area where a Quidditch match took place, 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 were three hooped Goalposts 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 The early barrel-goals had been replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed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).

## History

### 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 emphasising the need for anti-Muggle security on pitches[source]
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Quidditch pitches were 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, historically, 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 the 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[source]
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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.

## Known Quidditch pitches

### Historic pitches

Queerditch Marsh was the location where Kwidditch (a primitive form of Quidditch) evolved.

### School Quidditch pitches

#### Hogwarts Quidditch pitch

*Main article: Hogwarts Quidditch pitch*

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had its own pitch where Quidditch teams could practise, hold try-outs and play matches against each other. Each year would see a total of six inter-house matches (each house competing for the Inter-House 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.

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, the Maze.

#### Hogwarts training pitch

*Main article: Quidditch Training Pitch*
The Quidditch Training Pitch was a Quidditch pitch located in the Hogwarts grounds, smaller than the Quidditch Stadium where actual games are held. A noticeable difference is that this training pitch does not contain any goal hoops, rendering it unusable to play actual matches, and this is presumably why team Captains prefer to use the Stadium instead. It does not, however, have any spectator stands, preventing students from other Houses spying easily on the training.

### British and Irish Quidditch League pitches

Five known stadia used by the British and Irish Quidditch League are as below:

### Quidditch World Cup Stadia

#### 1994 Quidditch World Cup Final Stadium

*Main article: Quidditch Trillenium Stadium*

> "*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[source]
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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 perceive, approach, 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.