Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Gringotts is the only known bank of the wizarding world and it is operated primarily by goblins. Wizards and witches keep their money and other valuables in vaults that are protected by very complex and strong security measures. Gringotts also offers Muggle-Wizarding currency exchange.

A snowy white building, near the intersection of Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley, Gringotts towers over all neighbouring shops. Customers pass through a set of bronze doors and then silver ones before entering the lobby. The main floor is paved with marble and has long counters stretching along its length. The vaults extend for miles under the city and are accessible through rough stone passageways and then by means of magic carts that travel speedily along their tracks. The inscription on the front door reads:

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.

When Harry first visited Gringotts, he was told by Hagrid that one would have to be mad to try to rob Gringotts. Goblins are extremely greedy and would protect their money and valuables at any cost, which makes them ideal guardians for the valuables of the wizarding world. Also according to Hagrid, apart from Hogwarts, Gringotts is considered "the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want to keep safe-".It is rumoured that dragons guard the especially high security vaults.

There are a number of methods to opening the vaults. Most vaults, such as Harry's, use small golden keys. Higher security vaults may have various enchantments upon the doors. For example, the door to Vault 713 needs to be stroked by a certified Gringotts goblin, which causes it to melt away. If anyone but a Gringotts goblin touches the door, the person will be sucked into the vault, which is checke