College building resembles magical Harry Potter school

Photo shows a college building in Shijiazhuang, North China's Hebei province which resembles Hogwarts, the magical school in the hit Harry Porter films on Saturday. [Photo/CFP]

A college building in Shijiazhuang, North China's Hebei province which resembles the magical Harry Potter school has made the rounds online, after the city's Sphinx replica has caused controversy.

The building in the new campus of the Hebei Academy of Fine Arts, situated in Xinle city, features a giant clock tower, castle walls and turrets. It resembles Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry from the hit films -- Harry Potter.

The academy said the building named "Cinderella's Castle" is an animation industry base, not for teaching, and costs 2.4 billion yuan ($384 million).

It defends against online accusations. "We are not a school only with castles," it added, the campus landscape combines Chinese and Western styles.

The building's interior decoration has not finished yet.