
Kennilworthy Whisp, from Quidditch Through the Ages [src]

Broomsticks, also known as brooms, are one of the means employed by wizards and witches to transport themselves between locations. Their use in Great Britain and Ireland is regulated by the Ministry of Magic's Broom Regulatory Control.

The earliest recorded use of the broomstick was in 962 in a German illustrated manuscript. Only wizards and witches appear to use broomsticks in the wizarding world. House-elves, for example, use Apparition. Broomsticks appear to have a bit of personality of their own, as they are able to respond to the simplest of commands, such as "Up!".


Early days

Since no spell was devised by wizards to enable them to fly[1] (with the exception of Lord Voldemort in 1997, and Severus Snape a year later[2]), they had to come up with another way to do so. Animagi who transformed into winged creatures enjoyed the sensation, but they were rare[1].

Long before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy came into force, wizards were savvy enough to realise that Muggle neighbours would seek to exploit their abilities. Therefore, if they were to keep a method of flight in their homes, it would have to be unobtrusive and easy to hide. The broomstick was ideal — it was portable, cheap, and required no explanation. However, the first broomsticks were uncomfortable.

The first brooms

Medieval Broomstick

A Medieval Broomstick

Records show that witches and wizards in Europe were using brooms as early as A.D. 962. A German manuscript of this period shows three warlocks dismounting from their brooms with looks of exquisite discomfort on their faces.The first brooms bewitched were neither comfortable nor aerodynamic (they had rough twigs at the end and unvarnished handles), and in 1107 Scottish wizard Guthrie Lochrin wrote of the "splinter-filled buttocks and bulging piles" after a short ride from Montrose to Arbroath. The charms on the broom were also basic; they would move at one speed and could only go up, down, and stop. Wizard families generally constructed their own brooms, so there was a variation in speed and comfort depending on the skill of the builder. By the twelfth century, wizards began to barter services, and skilled broommakers could trade their services for goods such as the potions of a neighbour[1].

The racing broom and mass production

Nimbus 2000 (Concept Artwork)

A Nimbus 2000, high-quality racing broom




Present-day brooms

Nimbus 2001

A present-day broomstick


Broomstick manufacturing companies

Broomstick models

200px-Nimbus2000 2001


Broom games

PS C11

A game of Quidditch

  • Aingingein, played on broomsticks using a ball called a Dom and a series of flaming hoops. It originated in Ireland.
  • Annual broom race held in Sweden, originating in the 10th century.
  • Creaothceann, involving cauldrons and falling rocks. It was played in Scotland starting in the Middle Ages, but banned in 1762.
  • Quidditch, a game of flying balls and hoops, popular in England, originated in 1050 AD.
  • Quodpot, similar to Quidditch but played in the United States of America as early as the 18th century.
  • Shuntbumps, a game of knockout originating in England. It survives only as a children's game.
  • Stichstock, involving an inflated bladder and sharpened broomstick ends. It was played in Germany starting in at least 1105, but died out in the 14th century.
  • Swivenhodge, the volleyball equivalent of broomstick sports. It originated in England.

Behind the scenes

The Order on Brooms


  • At least one broomstick appears in every movie.
  • Although the Death Eaters use brooms to fly in the books, they are shown to have mastered flight in the films and fly in black smoke, but in the books no witch or wizard apart from Voldemort and Snape could fly, so the Death Eaters use brooms.
  • In Deathly Hallows: Part 1 most of the Order of the Phoenix members use brooms to take Harry Potter to safety. Many of the Death Eaters during the film version of the Battle of the Seven Potters also were using brooms, despite seemingly all of them demonstrating the ability in flying in smoke, as well as demonstrating being able to use magic while flying.
  • Culturally, Broomsticks seem to be analogous to bicycles in the muggle world. This can be seen in the variance of builds, capabilities, and incorporation into professional sports, as well as it being normal for wizarding children to have toy broomsticks, similar to how muggle children play on tricycles and other beginner-level bikes in their youth.


The Harry Potter Wiki has 150 images related to Broomstick.

Notes and references

Game of Quidditch
Quidditch pitch
Officials: Quidditch referee
Player positions: BeaterChaserKeeperSeeker
Playing equipment: Beater's batBludgerBroomstickGolden SnitchQuaffle