HBO’s Game Of Thrones: All Real-Life Castles And Landmarks Used In The David Benioff & D. B. Weiss’ Show
From horrifying White Walker’s territory to breathtaking Dornish Palace, here are all the real-life palaces and landmarks used to film Seven Kingdoms in Game of Thrones.
All Real-Life Castles and Landmarks used in Game Of Thrones ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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In eight years of runtime, HBO’s hit drama, Game of Thrones, had featured iconic production value which included several real-life locations. The show used locations from across the globe to create the settings of Westeros and blend the originality of the theme within the show. From castles like Winterfell to Dragonstone, Game of Thrones locations became classic landmarks, and perhaps best known for their location shooting. Since there were dozens of outdoor places used in the show, here are all the real-life castles and landmarks that were used to create the epic saga of the Iron Throne.
Dornish Palace – The Royal Alcazar, Spain
The Royal Alcazar which is located in Spain was used in Game of Thrones as one of the palaces in the nation of Dorne. The real place is actually called Alcázar de Sevilla in Spanish. It was among the most beautiful locations in the show despite House Dorne remaining controversial for the fans. The ornate architecture was inspired by the Muslim Moors who once lived there and is one of the homes of Spain’s royal family.
The Tower of Joy – The Castle of Zafra, Spain
Another breathtaking location used in the show in Spain is The Castle of Zafra, which was called The Tower of Joy in Game of Thrones, the birthplace of Jon Snow. This castle appeared in season 6 of the show and holds too much history which changed the course of Jon Snow’s future. In this very place, Bran Stark experienced a flashback of his father, Ned, who fought Targaryen forces during Robert’s Rebellion. Not only this, it was here when Bran learned the truth about his brother and Jon’s claim to the throne.
The original castle was built in the 12th century in Guadalajara. At that time, this area was a battleground for various smaller kingdoms that existed before Spain became a unified nation. Just like other Spanish fortress castles of the era, The Castillo de Zafra was also built to defend against the Muslim Moors. Today, the castle remains an important part of Spanish military history.
Yunkai – Ait Benhaddou, Morocco
Ait Benhaddou in Morocco is a popular tourist destination. This ancient walled city is the oldest man-made landmark of all the ten landmarks and a world heritage site that survived for thousands of years. It was used in Game of Thrones to showcase one of the southern slave cities, Yunkai, which Daenerys Targaryen conquers and liberates during her quest in Game of Thrones seasons 3 through 6. Although the enemy ultimately got control of the place, its capture was one of the poignant milestones in Daenerys journey toward the Iron Throne. It holds special importance among the Game of Thrones filming locations because the place is an entire ksar or ighrem, a specific type of settlement found predominantly in Northern Africa. These are heavily fortified villages or towns, made from mud bricks, and feature high defensive walls, narrow streets, and a central communal area.
Dragonstone – Downhill Beach, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has various natural landscapes which made a perfect choice for Game of Thrones shooting locations. Downhill Beach, also known as Berone Strand, is a beautiful beach on the northern coast with a serene and scenic view. It was used in the show to represent Dragonstone, which is one of the most historic locations in Game of Thrones, as the place’s history goes back to the time when the Targaryens used to reign. Well, it is evident from House of the Dragon that Dragonstone is one of the main palaces highlighted in the show.
Casterly Rock – Castle de Trujilo, Spain
Another location in Spain that was used in Game of Thrones, Castle de Trujillo retains its medieval roots, having defended against the Moores and preserved its historic allure over the centuries. In Game of Thrones, the castle was used as a regular reference location in Westeros, Casterly Rock. It was home to Lannisters and made the perfect place for various other scenes in Highgarden. The place was also featured during the battle to take Highgarden from the Tyrells and it was this place where Jamie got to know about the person who was responsible for Joffrey’s death.
The Courtyard of Winterfell – Doune Castle, Scotland
Winterfell was featured from the beginning of the first season in Game of Thrones, and it was actually Doune Castle in Scotland that helped create the real feel for Westeros. Although most of Winterfell’s scenes were filmed in Northern Ireland, Doune Castle was used for other crucial scenes that took place at the home of the Starks. This was also the place where Robert Baratheon and his family entered in the first episode of the show and where Daenerys met the Stark family in season 8.
Winterfell, Dragonstone, And Others – Shane’s Castle, Northern Island
While Spain offered incredible palaces to construct the feel of Westeros, for the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, Northern Island provided the best places, including Shane’s Castle. In Game of Thrones, Northern Island was used extensively to film scenes in Dragonstone, Winterfell, and any area between the Wall and King’s Landing. Shane’s Castle’s crumbling stone was in fact used as a dungeon by the High Sparrow to hold prisoners. The ruins of the real palace can be found near County Antrim and was built in the mid-1300s.
Arrowhead Mountain – Kirkjufell Mountain, Iceland
For Jon Snow’s journey north of the wall, the showrunners of Game of Thrones made sure to show this scene as captivating as possible. For this scene, they flew to Iceland to film at the iconic Kirkjufell Mountain. In the show, this place is known as Arrowhead Mountain and is located on the tip of the country’s western coast; the place is deep within White Walker’s territory.
The Red Keep – Lovrijenac Fortress, Croatia
All of King Landing’s scenes were shot in the Mediterranean coastal city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. The Lovrijenac Fortress was used in the show which is one of the oldest sites in the city and was built between 1018 and 1038. Used as the Red Keep, this place became one of the principle filming locations during the series.
