Location
The Sanctum Sanctorum is a three-story townhouse located at 177A Bleecker Street.[8][3] It is "in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village."[9] Contrary to fan theories that this address was meant to invoke 221B Baker Street, the fictional domicile of Sherlock Holmes, it was actually a reference to the address of an apartment shared in the 1960s by Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich.[3][2] In the comics, the building was said to have been built upon a site where pagan sacrifices were performed, and Native American rituals before that, and serves as a focal point of supernatural energies. It was noted that as of 2016, the location could be found on Google Maps.[8]
Architecture
The building's depiction has varied over the years, but some elements remain consistent. "The outside looks like a townhouse, while past a veil of magical force on the inside are various rooms with various mystical artifacts", as one source put it.[10] The building seems to have more space in its interior than its outside would suggest.[2] Some corridors become labyrinths, and the layout and arrangement of some rooms appears to shift on their own. The house holds many powerful magical items, some of which have an innocent appearance. Some are dangerous, such as a radio which is fatal to the touch. The basement contains storage, a furnace, and the laundry. The first floor contains living rooms, dining rooms, and the general library. The second floor holds living quarters for Strange, Wong, and any guests they may have. The Sanctum Sanctorum is specifically the third floor of the building, home to Strange's meditation room and occult library, where he keeps the Book of the Vishanti, and his repository of ancient artifacts and objects of magical power, such as the Orb of Agamotto.[2]
The Sanctum consistently has a circular skylight with four swooping lines; this design has stayed with the building despite the window's destruction on many occasions.
Residents
Its main residents, apart from Strange, have been his lover/apprentice Clea, his manservant Wong, and the apprentice sorcerer Rintrah.
The Sanctum Sanctorum became the headquarters of the New Avengers for a time, having been magically disguised as an abandoned building designated as a future Starbucks cafe. The run-down disguise extends to the interior of the building as needed, undetectable by even the Extremis armor of Iron Man.
The building has also served as headquarters of the Defenders.[2]
Defenses
After constructing the house, Doctor Strange cast a permanent, intricate spell of mystical force to protect it. Despite this, it was seemingly destroyed in a siege by mystical forces, during the Midnight Sons storyline, while various heroes such as the Nightstalkers, Ghost Rider, and Johnny Blaze were hiding inside.
During the World War Hulk storyline, the Sanctum was invaded by the forces of the alien Warbound, its defensive enchantments and illusions shattered by Hiroim.[14]
After the use of unacceptable dark magics in the fight against the Hulk, the Sanctum is invaded by the Hood's army, who are ultimately defeated amid much damage to the building. Doctor Strange is forced to retreat when the battle allows the government-sanctioned Mighty Avengers to take over the Sanctum. Brother Voodoo is called in to neutralize the remnants of the defensive magics.[12]
On one occasion, Doctor Strange destroyed the defenses of the Sanctum to avoid their exploitation by a foe.[15]
