Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones filmed in Andalucia

Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin's series of novels, the first of which is called A Game of Thrones. The series was produced for US TV channel HBO, and premiered on April 17, 2011, and its seventh season ended on August 27, 2017. The series concluded with its eighth season filmed between October 2017 and July 2018 and episodes premiered between 14 April and 19 May 2019.

Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, the story centres on the struggle for power in the Seven Kingdoms. Everyone is fighting for the Iron Throne, with a constantly-changing web of alliances and conflicts among the dynastic noble families. The first four series were partly filmed in southern European and northern Africa: Morocco (pilot), Malta (Season 1), Dubrovnic and Croatia (Season 2), Dubrovnic and Morocco (Season 3), Dubrovnic and Split (Season 4).

By 2014 the series was a huge hit, with seven million viewers per episode around the world. 

The media in Andalucia was abuzz with excitement in May 2014 when news broke that Game of Thrones Season Five would be filmed in one of Andalucia's three historic cities: Cordoba, Seville or Granada, sometimes referred to as the Golden Triangle of Andalucia.

We offer details of the locations so you can explore a Game of Thrones Route.

SEASON FIVE

Filming for the fifth season began in July 2014 in Belfast and ended in December 2014.

Most of the scenes were filmed in Croatia including Dubrovnik. Meereen scenes were filmed in the Diocletian's Palace in Split, and at Klis Fortress north of Split. The 16th century Kaštel Gomilica, Croatia  stood in for some parts of Braavos.   

The scenes that take place in the principality of Dorne (Seville's Real Alcazar, royal palace) were filmed in Spain, beginning in October 2014.

All Andalucia locations are listed below.

Alcazar of Seville - parts of episodes 2, 6, 7 and 9
Parts of episodes 2, 6, 7 and 9 were shot in the Alcazar of Seville in October 2014. The Alcazar represents the Water Gardens of Dorne, the private estate of the House of Martell, home of Prince Doran. 

The Alcazar rooms and garden areas which appeared in the series are: Mercury's Pool and the Grotto Gallery; the Ambassadors´ Hall; the Baths of Maria de Padilla; and the Pavilion of Carlos V. The key scenes are in episodes 6 and 9 More>

Osuna Bullring - final part of episode 9
Game of Thrones filmed in the town of Osuna, specifically in the bullring (which is no longer used for Bullfighting). The spectacular fight scene - with amazing special effects, including dragons - takes place in episode 9. Many of the town's inhabitants worked as extras on the 12-day shoot in October 2014. The Osuna bullring was standing in for Danzak's Pit in Meereen city, ruled by Daenerys Targaryen, also known as Mother of Dragons or Khaleesi.

Other locations used in Osuna were La Colegiata, the old University and the Coto de las Canteras (quarries with carved stones).

Roman Bridge of Cordoba
The Roman Bridge of Cordoba enhanced by CGI, the ancient structure becomes the Long Bridge of Volantis. We see a stunning aerial shot of the bridge in Episode 3 where Tyrion Lannister and Varys, the Court fixer, are on their way from Pentos to Meereen. Tyrion has been travelling inside a carriage for daysand wants to get out. The two men walk across the bridge, which is crammed with ramshackle buildings - they come upon houses, shops, a preaching priestess and then a brothel.

The acting was all shot in the studio and the actors did not visit the bridge. A production team oversaw a drone which  took a series of aerial sequences on 14 October to be used as the base for the computer graphics seen in the final production.  More>

SEASON SIX

Filming for season six was from July to December 2015, with a budget of $100 million, setting a new high for the series. Season five was filmed in five different countries: Northern Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Iceland and Canada.

From 3 September to 23 October 2015, filming also took place in Spain, specifically in Girona, Navarre, Peniscola, and Almería. Locations in Spain included the Castle of Zafra in Guadalajara, the Bardenas Reales Natural Park in Navarre, the Alcazaba in Almería, and the Castle of Santa Florentina in Canet de Mar.

All the Andalucia locations are listed below.

Alcázar of Seville 
Season 6 returned to the Alcazar de Sevilla (see season five)

Alcazaba Fortress of Almeria, was the location for a bloody deed scene in an early episode, filmed in October 2015. This was shot in the Patio del Gobernador of the Alcazaba fortress of Almeria, the 12th-century Moorish fortress that overlooks Almeria city.   

Muralla de Jayrán
Muralla de Jayrán is the distinctive curtain wall that extends out from the Alcazaba.

Tabernas, Almeria 
Tabernas is long famous as a film location since the days of Clint Eastwood filming Spaghetti Westerns. Game of Thrones filmed in the desert gorges known as the Rambla del Cautivo, and La Rambla del Buho near the village of TabernasThis is where 100 horses and 500 extras formed the long march in episode 4 by Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons leading the Dothraki, the nomadic horse-riding warrior tribe.

 

 

El Chorrilo de Pechinais an old deserted mining hamlet in the Sierra Alhamilla. It was where Exodus: Gods and Kings was filmed. In Game of Thrones a new set was built representing Vaes Dothrak, the only city in the Dothraki Sea. Sir Jorah Mormont and Daarid Naharis rescue Daenerys Targaryen in episode 4.

Mesa Roldan, near Aqua Amarga, Almeria Coast
Mesa Roldan is a large flat-topped rock headland north of coastal village of Agua Amarga. It features an impressive horseshoe-shaped fortified tower built in 1766 on the orders of Charles III, to protect the coast from Barbary Pirates. Nine forts similar forts were constructed along the Andalucia coast between Garrucha and Malaga. This was one was chosen for its remoteness.  

In Game of Thrones episode 9, this location is just outside the city state of Meereen on the Bay of Dragons. On hills outside the Meereen are pyramids where the wealthy citizens live. Following the attack on the city, Daenerys and Grey Worm meet with the slave masters to negotiate terms of surrender. More>

Roman Bridge of Cordoba
The Roman Bridge of Cordoba enhanced by CGI, the ancient structure becomes the Long Bridge of Volantis.

SEASON SEVEN

Filming of the seven episodes of season seven began on August 31, 2016, at Titanic Studios in Belfast, and on location over the winter and finishing in February 2017.

Scenes were filmed in Spain, Iceland, Alberta Canada, Northern Ireland and returning to Dubrovnik, Croatia, rather than Girona for location of King's Landing. Filmed in the Spanish cities of Seville, Cáceres, Almodóvar del Río, Santiponce, Zumaia and Bermeo. More specifically Muriola Beach in Barrika and at the shores of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo.

All Andalucia locations are listed below.

Castillo de Almodovar
Castillo de Almodovar, the medieval castle in Cordoba province overlooking the Rio Guadalquivir was the location in November 2016 for filming Highgarden, the ancestral home of House Tyrell.

Atarazanas of Seville - The Royal Shipyards
The Atarazanas, the Royal Shipyards - a vast space of brick arches and vaulted ceilings which dates from the 13th century, ranking them as one of the city's oldest structures. It was here that the ships of the Royal Fleet were built, sailing off to the New World. This is the set for the dungeons and crypt of the Red Keep at Kings Landing. The anti-dragon secret weapon was stored here. The plot returns to the Skull room of the Crypt as an escape route thwarted by roof collapses in Season 8 episode 7 and quiet discovery in episode 8, however the location was recreated and these latter scenes we shot in a warehouse in Northern Ireland.    

Italica, Santaponce near Sevilla
Italica,
the Roman site near Seville, was used as a location in autumn 2016. The episode which featured Italica was the climactic final one, in which three members of major houses with their entourages hold a historic meeting in the amphitheatre about a common enemy.

A simple platform was built over the pit, with the steps nearest the main doorway (eastern end) used by one character to make a dramatic entrance. You can also see the characters walking along the path towards the amphitheatre. CGI was used to add extra height to the western wall, with arches where statues would have sat, so that it bears a closer resemblance to its original state. More>

Alcázar of Seville
Season 7 returned to the palace of the Alcázar of Seville to represent is the Water Gardens of Dorne, private estate of the House of Martell home of Prince Doran.

One scene of the Alcázar in Seville is digitally altered: it consists of two separate locations. On the left side you can see the Alcazar in Seville, where most of the Water Garden scenes were filmed. On the right, with the characters and the pond, is the Alcazaba in Almeria. (see Series six) The two locations were filmed separately and merged together.

Hotel Alfonso XIII, not a filming location but the Hotel Alfonso XIII  is where the cast stayed when in Seville. The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville is the home of Sevilla Fútbol Club. Most of the cast came here to watch a Barcelona v Sevilla match and were presented with red and white Sevilla shirts marked with their Game of Thrones character's names.

Roman Bridge of Cordoba
The Roman Bridge of Cordoba enhanced by CGI, the ancient structure becomes the Long Bridge of Volantis.

SEASON 8

 Filming of the seven six episodes of season eight seven began on October 23, 2017 and concluded in July 2018. Many exterior scenes were filmed in Northern Ireland, and a few in Dubrovnik, Croatia; None in Andalucia. However the plot returns to two previous locations.

Atarazanas of Seville - The Royal Shipyards
The plot returns to the Skull room of the Crypt as an escape route thwarted by roof collapses in Season 8 episode 5 and quiet discovery in episode 6, however the location was recreated and these scenes we shot in a warehouse in Northern Ireland.

Italica, Santaponce near Sevilla
Italica, the Roman site near Seville, was the backdrop used as the location for another historic meeting in Season 8 last episode. The scene started with a wide view of the Italica, the view was close to the present day Italica as the central pit had not been covered as before. The rest of the scene with actors was close up of the wooden stage and Italica added digitally on the fringes.

 

 

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