Entertainment
These are the Breathtaking Real-Life Locations of Game of Thrones
These locations look awesome in real life as they are on TV.
The fifth season of Game of Thrones has just wrapped up and we have to wait for almost one year before we get to Season 6. Until then, we have to wait reeeeal patiently and deal with our GOT withdrawal symptoms by discussing ad infinitum, ad nauseam the fate of Jon Snow. You can also use the downtime to read up about the fascinating facts about the show. For instance, have you ever wondered where on Earth did HBO shoot those stunningly picturesque scenes? You may think that these can be just a product of CGI, but believe it or not, most of the show’s locations are actually real places you can visit.
Fictional location: Qarth
In real-life: Dubrovnik’s Minceta Tower in Croatia
Qarth was highly featured during Season 3, focusing mostly at the House of the Undying, where Daenerys Targaryen came looking for her stolen dragons.The house of the warlocks was actually Minceta Tower, often regarded as the symbol of the city of Dubrovnik.
Fictional location: Vaes Dothrak
In real-life: the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland’s County Down
The vast lands in which the Dothraki reign supreme was shot at the grassy fields surrounding Mourne Mountains. The scenery was also the inspiration for the Chronicles of Narnia.
Fictional location: Mereen
In real-life: Kliss Fortress in Split, Croatia
Croatia seems to be a favorite for the Targaryen queen’s location shoots. The Kliss Fortress was used for the turbulent events of Mereen. The fortress has a rocky history, having been conquered numerous times and its original appearance has yet to be known.
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Fictional location: Braavos
In real-life: Sibenik in Croatia
The home of the Iron Bank and the setting for Arya Stark’s new adventures was shot in this medieval town of Sibenik. The square of St. James Cathedral served the backdrop for the arrival of Mace Tyrell and company on their way to the Iron Bank.
Fictional location: Pentos
In real-life: Aït Benhaddou in Marrakesh
Aït Benhaddou in Marrakesh served as the perfect location for Illyrio Mopatis’ home and temporary residence for Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen in the first season. The fortified city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Fictional location: Dorne
In real-life: Alcázar de Sevilla in Spain
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alcázar de Sevilla represented the Moorish-inspired home of Prince Doran of Dorne.
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Fictional location: King’s Landing
In real-life: M’dina in Malta and Dubrovnik, Croatia
The well-preserved city of M’dina was used as the setting for King’s Landing for the Season 1 shoot, but HBO had to move to Dubrovnik afterwards due to logistic problems. Also, production had to be faithful to the depiction of King’s Landing as a seaside city in the books.
Fictional location: Winterfell
In real-life: Castle Ward in Northern Ireland’s County Down
You would be amazed to know that the Winterfell scenes where shot at the same country where they filmed the Dothraki scenes. Castle Ward served as the home for the unfortunate Starks. The crew spent eight weeks transforming the location into the Winterfell that we now know.
Fictional location: Castle Black
In real-life: Magheramorne Quarry in Northern Ireland
The unforgiving environment of Castle Black is actually a building in a quarry in real life. If you’re wondering where they shot the awesome Battle of Hardhome, it’s just within the quarry area near the lake.
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Fictional location: Beyond the Wall
In real-life: Hverfjall volcano in the Lake Myvatn region of Northern Iceland and Grjótagjá at Lake Mavatn.
The backdrops for Beyond the Wall scenes are so stunning that you would think they are computer-generated, but no. Hverfjall volcano in the Lake Myvatn region is actually a popular tourist destination especially during winter (duh!) and the unforgettable place where Jon Snow broke his vow of celibacy for Ygritte is actually the popular underground hot spring of Grjótagjá.