Top Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Croatia
Croatia is home to a host of famous Game of Thrones scenes, including being the epic location of King’s Landing, The House of the Undying and Braavos. King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-see and easy to reach having been filmed in Dubrovnik.
It’s easy to explore the city, full of old-world charm and perched right on the edge of the Adriatic – spotting the famous set locations as you go.
1.Fort Lovrijenac, or the Fort of St. Lawrence, is located at the western side of Old Town in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is outside the city walls on a 37-meter (121 feet) high cliff.
Also known as “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the Fort of St. Lawrence has a triangular shape with three levels and was defended with ten large cannons, the largest and most famous is called “Lizard.” The walls facing the sea are up to 12 meters (40 feet) thick but on the eastern side of the fortress facing Dubrovnik, the walls are only 60 centimeters (2 feet) thick. Such construction was done purposely, in case the Fort was taken by an enemy it could easily be destroyed directly from the city walls and Fort Bokar.
In history, the fort is famous for its importance in resisting the Venetian rule. It overshadows the two entrances to the city, from the sea, and by land. Early in the 11th century, the Venetians attempted to build a fort on the same spot where Fort Lovrijenac currently stands. If they had succeeded they would have kept Dubrovnik under their power but the people of the city beat them to it. The fort was built within just three months and from then on was constantly reconstructed. When the Venetian ships arrived, full of materials for the construction of their fort, they were told to return to Venice.
Throughout time, the fort was adapted many times and following the fall of the Republic, it served a different purpose: it was a military base during the Austrian occupation, then it was converted into a hospitality facility. In 1933, the Fort of St. Lawrence was the venue for several sessions of the PEN club (meeting of the most eminent writers of the world).
The significance of the PEN club was that it brought awareness to Dubrovnik as a tourist attraction. For centuries the fort was the greatest defender of the city’s freedom and engraved above its gates is a message for the world that is translated to say “freedom cannot be sold for all the treasures of the world.”
Today, in this free city and free country, the fort shines again with its former greatness. It is used as the setting for the Red Keep Castle in the Game of Thrones television show. It is often used in real life as a wedding venue but was featured in the show that hosted several weddings that weren’t joyous occasions such as the Red Wedding and Purple Wedding. On the contrary to the show, the Fort is usually a great location for weddings and parties because of the views and general feel of it.
2.Trsteno Arboretum, located about 24 km (15 miles) from Dubrovnik, was used as the setting in the Game of Thrones Seasons 3&4. It is mostly associated with the scenes involving the powerful family from the Reach, the Tyrells which made it earn the famous nickname the “Tyrell (High)Garden”. Aside from its Game of Thrones appeal, the Arboretum is truly a hidden gem, well worth a visit in case you happen to be in Dubrovnik.
Spanning over 70 acres with over 450 species of plant life, the Trsteno Arboretum is the oldest and biggest monument of garden architecture in Croatia. The Arboretum, officially established in 1948, was originally a summer estate that used to belong to the Dubrovnik aristocratic family Gucetic-Gozze. Its founder Ivan M. Gucetic-Gozze was a wealthy Dubrovnik shipowner and a merchant who had a bold idea to build his summer residence in the secluded and sparsely populated part of Dubrovnik Riviera in the late 15th century.
The construction of the estate was a formidable engineering effort for its era as Gucetic-Gozze managed to transform the once barren and unattractive stoney piece of land into a vast complex of lush Renaissance gardens. In that time the roads to Dubrovnik were nonexistent so all the necessary material for the construction had to be transported by his merchant ships to the tiny port below the estate. The much needed fertile soil for the gardens was imported from all over the Mediterranean as he ordered his captains to load the empty ships with dirt after selling the cargo. Along with the dirt, the captains also brought the seeds of different plants from various places where they sailed which were later planted in the gardens, thus The gazebo boasts spectacular views of the Elaphiti archipelago and the turquoise expanse of the Adriatic Sea so it doesn’t surprise that Dame Diana Rigg enjoyed filming these scenes in the Arboretum. This introduction of exotic species continued over centuries so now the Arboretum boasts myriads of Asian and American plants which are harmoniously interwoven with the characteristic Mediterranean cultures.
The soil was protected from the erosion through the construction of a carefully planned system of terrace gardens supported by dry limestone walls. In order to provide enough water for the gardens, a near-by stream was diverted into a 70-meter long aqueduct, thus creating an exotic oasis in the midst of rugged arid landscape. The whole estate was laid out in a single axis composition which ordered all the relevant architectonic elements one after another: the aqueduct leads to a fountain with a pond, which is then followed by a shady green loggia, the chapel, the villa and finally the iconic gazebo recognizable from the scenes with Lady Olenna.
The gazebo boasts spectacular views of the Elaphiti archipelago and the turquoise expanse of the Adriatic Sea so it doesn’t surprise that Dame Diana Rigg enjoyed filming these scenes in the Arboretum:
The estate was damaged in the colossal earthquake in 1667 when the original Renaissance fountain had to be replaced by a Baroque Neptune’s fountain. The area around the fountain and the pond was also used during the filming, but the fountain with the Neptune’s grotto had to be covered with green screen for obvious reasons. Although the features of this beautiful fountain
were obscured this part of Arboretum has been extremely popular with the producers and has appeared at least three times in the show.
Apart from the mentioned locations, there is also a number of other familiar points in the Arboretum that were used in the show, as well as some interesting points that depict the bygone days in the estate, such as the traditional old olive oil press. Therefore, if you’re staying in Dubrovnik for longer than one day, add a visit to Trsteno on your to do list.
3.Lokrum island covers 72 hectares and is located on the eastern Croatian coast, near the city of Dubrovnik. About 15 minutes is needed to get there by taxi-boat which runs from the old city harbor.
At the island's highest point at 96 meters (315 feet) above sea level stands Fort Royal Castle, which was built by the French in 1806. The climb to the fort is quite steep, but once there the views of Dubrovnik and the coastline are quite spectacular.
Lokrum's special attraction, a small lake called Mrtvo More (Dead Sea), is a unique lake linked with the sea. Crystal clear and calm, it is suitable for bathing and is a favorite resort for many visitors. Nearby there is a former Benedictine monastery which was founded in 1023.
It was written in history that monks used their site on the island to warn residents of Dubrovnik when attackers were approaching from the sea. The monastery was abandoned in 1798. The Austrian archduke Maximillian Ferdinand built a luxurious residence on the island in 1859, on the ruins of the old Benedictine monastery.
Today Lokrum is a Nature Reserve and a Special Forest Vegetation Reserve and is inhabited by families of peacocks that were introduced to the island in the 19th century by the Austrian archduke Maximilian.
4.The famous Bokar Fort, also known as Zvjezdan, stands guard over the city’s southwestern corner. Designed by the Florentine architect Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi in 1461. But it was not finished until 1570 with the fort being roofed. It is one of the oldest casemented forts in Europe. Remarkably, part of the fort perches on a sea cliff, its base touching the sea, thanks to a network of vaulted arches. As it did when the fort was first built, the sea still passes beneath it. On calm days, a small boat can easily reach and even enter it.
Back in the 15th century, builders erected Fort Bokar to beef up Dubrovnik’s already strong defense. The name “Bokar” comes from “boka,” meaning “cove” in Croatian. The fort was a key piece in a chain of defenses of the Pile Gate, bridge, and the ditch, guarding the city against attacks from both sea and land.
Throughout its history, Fort Bokar has been a pivotal defensive spot. It played a significant role in numerous conflicts, including the Siege of Dubrovnik during the Napoleonic Wars and the Croatian War of Independence in the early 1990s. Positioned to protect the city’s harbor, it boasted large cannons to deter enemy ships from nearing or entering. Its solid walls and bastions formed an impenetrable defense line, marking it as an essential part of Dubrovnik’s defense strategy.
In the early 19th century, during the Napoleonic Wars, Dubrovnik faced tough times, including being occupied by French and Montenegrin forces. Fort Bokar stood out as a key player in fighting off these invasions. Thanks to its robust walls and cutting-edge cannons, the fort could hold off major enemy attacks. The courage and resolve of those defending Fort Bokar played a crucial role in eventually freeing Dubrovnik from foreign control.
After World War II, Fort Bokar’s importance as a defense point dwindled, leading to its abandonment. Yet, in the early 1990s, during the Croatian War of Independence, the fort gained significance once more as a bastion of Dubrovnik’s defense. It served as a shelter for soldiers and a storage spot for weapons, forming a critical defense line against opposing forces.
After the war concluded in 1995, Fort Bokar saw a major facelift, returning it to its former splendor. The Dubrovnik City Museum took the lead on these restoration projects. While aiming to keep the fort’s history and cultural value alive. Now, Fort Bokar shines as a symbol of the city’s spirit and commitment to safeguarding its residents and rich heritage.
Among many other Game of Thrones locations, the Bokar Fortress features in Season 2: Tyron and Lord Varys stand on the ramparts looking out to sea while planning the defence of King’s Landing.
Overlooking the city of Split, in the mountain pass between Mosor and Kozjak, lies the small village of Klis, speckled with vineyards and olive groves.
At the center of this hillside village is a medieval fortress built into a rocky ridge giving visitors an incredible bird’s eye view of the entire Split “metropolitan” area, Adriatic Sea, and surrounding islands.
5.Tvrđava Klis (The Fortress of Klis) has a history of more than 2.000 years, beginning with the Illyrian tribe called Dalmatae that used it as a stronghold before it was taken by the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the site became a seat for several Croatian kings.
Later, the Klis Fortress was pivotal in defending the Balkans against the siege of the Mongols, then the Ottomans in the 1.500s.
Now that we’ve condensed 2.000 years of history into a handful of sentences, let’s move on to the meat.
If you find yourself in Dalmatia, the fortress is not to be missed. Here’s why:
1. The killer view
The view from the top of the fortress alone is worth the small price you pay to enter. Go at sunset if you are here during winter.
2. You can explore it with freedom
Very few castles and ruins in this world still allow you to wander around the grounds unencumbered by ropes or locked doors. The fortress is so free one misstep could land you at the bottom of a cliff.
3. No lines
The Klis Fortress is still not a big attraction. Only 15.000 people visit it every year.
This means you won’t be fighting the crowds to get through the castle corridors. You might even score some pictures of the fortress without a single stranger in them. If you go during the off-season, you might have the whole place to yourself.
This dramatic fortress forms a key plot in the series where Khaleesi punishes the rules of Meereen by nailing them to crosses for all the slaves to see.
6.Minčeta Tower
The most prominent part of Dubrovnik's walls is the rounded Minčeta Tower where the walls are 6m thick, the better to protect Dubrovnik from attacks by land. The tower Minčeta is the highest point of the walls which offers an unforgettable view on the old town of Dubrovnik. The tower's name derives from the name of the Mencetic family, who owned the ground upon which the tower was built.
The fort was originally built in 1319 as a high reaching quadrilateral fort according
the designs of local architect Nicifor Ranjina. Around the earlier quadrilateral fort Florentine architect Michelozzo di Bartolomeo built a new round tower. The tower was completed in 1464 by architect and sculptor Juraj Dalmatinac, who designed and built the high narrow round tower. With nine guns, and one bronze cannon made by Ivan Rabljanin Minceta had a crucial role in the defence of Dubrovnik.
This prominent tower was used to film Daenerys and Jorah Mormont attempting to enter the House of the Undying as Daenerys attempts to retrieve her stolen dragons.
7.Diocletian’s Palace (Split)
Diocletian Palace is one of the best preserved monuments of the Roman architecture in the world. The Emperor's Palace was built as a combination of a luxury villa - summer house and a Roman military camp (castrum), divided into four parts with two main streets. Southern part of the Palace was, in this scheme, intended for the Emperor's apartment and appropriate governmental and religious ceremonies, while the north part was for the Imperial guard - the military, servants, storage etc. The Palace is a rectangular building (approximately 215 x 180 meters) with four large towers at the corners, doors on each
of the four sides and four small towers on the walls. The lower part of the walls has no openings, while the upper floor is open with a monumental porch on the south and halls with grand arch windows on the other three sides.
Over the centuries the Palace inhabitants, and later also the citizens of Split adapted parts of the palace for their own requirements, thus the inside buildings as well as the exterior walls with the towers significantly changed the original appearance, but the outlines of the Imperial Palace are still very visible.
It plays another key role in the Game of Thrones series. It is within the palace walls and cellars that Daenerys trains her three dragons and is also where, in season four, the slaves sit around the fire and decide whether or not to support her.
8. The small village of Zrnovnica, just outside Split was used as another key location in the series.
This village was once home to many grain mills, which unfortunately have disappeared over time. The Zrnovnica is easily recognized as the set in Season Four where Missandei, Daenerys’ handmaid and interpreter has her bathing scene. The Zrnovnica Quarry was used for the battle in which Daenerys and the Unsullied approach the Meereen gate. It’s here where Daario Naharis kills the city champion.
9.Pile gate (Dubrovnik)
The gate is the main entrance to the walled city. It is located on the western part of town walls. It will also take you straight to the main, most famous street: Stradun – town’s main promenade.
Once a significant defensive structure, now is the starting point of a fantastic Dubrovnik city tour and its medieval walls!
Pile gate of Dubrovnik has medieval architecture.
It consists of two gates:
The inner gate of the city walls, which was built in 1460.
The outer gate of the city walls, which was built in 1537.
Initially, the two gates were connected by a wooden drawbridge, a typical bridge design during medieval times.
As time goes, the drawbridge was replaced by a stone bridge connecting the two arches.
Later on, in 1806, the French army entered through these gates, led by Napoleon, to take over the city and put an end to the Dubrovnik Republic.
If you’re going to Old Town through Pile gate, make sure to look down at the open space the moment you cross the bridge. That area was once a deep-water ditch surrounding the gated city.
Right at the entrance, look above, and you will notice the statue of St. Blaise, the patron saint of the city, which was sculpted on both the inner and the outer arches.
The statue of the inner gate was created in the 20th century by the most prominent Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic.
Let’s not forget to mention that Pile Gates was one of the filming locations for the ultra-popular Game of Thrones TV series.
One of the main scenes filmed here in Series Three was when Sansa Stark and Lord Baelish discuss escape plans following King Joffrey’s death.
10. St. Dominika Street (Dubrovnik)
The medieval St Dominika Street connects Dubrovnik’s Dominican monastery to the Ploče Gate on one side and Stradun on the other. Subsumed by the city walls in the 14th century, the monastery is a Gothic–Renaissance masterpiece and includes paintings, artefacts, jewels and religious iconography depicting the rich history of Dubrovnik.
The Walls of Dubrovnik – of which St Dominika Street is within – are considered to be one of the great fortification systems of the Middle Ages, partly due to their strategically-perfect waterfront location and also because they were never breached by hostile armies. Famous the world over, the walls were granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1979.
Today, St Dominika Street is a narrow, curved, and cobbled passageway flanked by very high walls, providing visitors a glimpse into medieval Dubrovnik.
Fans of Game of Thrones may also recognise St Dominika Street as the dramatic route the shorn Cersei Lannister walked naked as penance for her sins. “Shame! Shame! Shame!”
It may look slightly different to its on-screen counterpart, given the market scenes featured in Game of Thrones were packed full of bustling market stalls, animals for sale, peasants, and traders – King’s Landing style.
In fact, Dubrovnik’s Old Town is home to many of King’s Landing’s most famous locations including the Red Keep, the House of the Undying, and the set of the Purple Wedding.
11. The Rector’s Palace had a central role in the Dubrovnik Republic. Today it is still one of the most significant monuments in Dubrovnik. The Palace was built in the mid 15th century in Renaissance and Gothic style with some Baroque details. It gained more recent importance in the Game of Thrones.
The front of the Rector’s Palace is the backdrop for the scene when Daenerys Targaryen asks the Spice King of Quarth for ships to take her army across the Narrow Sea.
Apart from visiting another Game of Thrones location it is worth taking the time to visit Rector’s Palace as it is today – one of the Museums of Dubrovnik where you can see many examples of the rich heritage of the Dubrovnik Republic – portraits, original keys of the city gates, documents, and much more….Top Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Croatia
12. Jesuit Stairs. One of the most popular Games of Thrones locations in Dubrovnik, thanks to the famous “Walk of shame ” scene. Every fan remembers the scene from season five where Cersei Lannister walks naked through King’s Landing. Every day fans take thousands of photos on this location.
The Jesuit Stairs are one of the most representative examples Baroque architecture in Dubrovnik. When you walk up the Stairs, you will come out on Boškovićeva Poljana (Bošković Square) with the impressive Jesuit church of St. Ignatius. Tiny facts about Croatia you’d never have guessed
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