Speculative Geography - Murmansk & Durmstrang

[Steve]

I posted this in the main group, but I'm having second thoughts about
whether I should have done that. It doesn't deal that much with the
book, so perhaps, it would have been best to post it here. So, here it
goes...


Well, I couldn't contain myself any longer, I got out my CD-ROM
Satellite Photo Maps so we could all see what the geograpic area of
Kola/Murmansk Peninsula of Russia looked like.

The first map shows Scotland, Scandinavia, Bulgaria, Kola Penisula,
and other parts of Europe. The remaining maps are close ups of the
Western Kola Peninsula, showing roads, trails, rail, towns, and villages.

Note how far south Bulgaria is compared to Scotland and Scandinavia.
The descriptions of Durmstrang indicates cold climate and short
daylight hours, that implies far north. So even though Viktor is from
Bulgaria, it's unlikely that Durmstrang school is there.

The highest elevation is about 3400 feet; not a tall mountian, but as
tall as any of the mountains in Britian. The original CD-Rom map is
interactive, so it shows elevations as you move the mouse pointer
around the map. At one location near Apathy, it indicated an elevation
of 18,000 feet, but I think that was an error.

This area has very few roads, rail, or towns. As you can see from the
maps, there are many lakes and easy access to the sea from inland as
well as a lot of wild country side.

Speculative Location of Durmstrang-
http://bluemoonmarket.homestead.com/Files/murmansk/pg1.htm

Also-

Speculative Locations of Hogwarts-
http://bluemoonmarket.homestead.com/Files/Hogwarts/hogwarts1.htm

Speculative Location of Romanian Dragon Center-
http://bluemoonmarket.homestead.com/Files/Hogwarts/Romania1.htm

I've posted links to my other two map sites, so you can compare road,
rail, and population density.

The main reason why I insist that the school is in Russia, is that
Drumstrang is a European school, and I have trouble seeing true
Scandinavia as Europe or the location of a European school. My own
opinion, which I'm sure you are tired of hearing by now, is that
Scandinavia has it's own tradition of magic separate from Europe and
therefore has it's own schools of magic.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn