DUBROVNIK AND THE PLACES OF THE GAME OF THRONES
Dubrovnik is located in the southern tip of Croatia and is considered to be one of the most beautiful and romantic cities to visit in Europe.
The historic center of the city, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979, retains the imposing medieval walls and is considered a real jewel from a historical and cultural point of view due to the splendid Gothic and Baroque architecture of its palaces.
In recent years Dubrovnik has had a real tourist boom thanks to the TV series ” Game of Thrones ” set largely in the Dalmatian city.
The scenes of the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, the magical King’s Landing, are almost all filmed in and around Dubrovnik.
For fans of the Throne of Swords, here is a short tour of the most significant locations of the television series.
PILE GATE
Pile Gate is the gateway to the old city and is the best place to start your visit to the historic center of Dubrovnik. From here it is possible to admire the small fishing port located between Fort Bokar and Fort Lovrijenac and in this area several episodes were filmed, including the tournament in honor of the name day of King Joffrey, the assault of the people and many others.
THE CITY WALLS
The city walls of Dubrovnik, which withstood the earthquake of 1667, have appeared in many scenes in the series and are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. In the world of Game of Thrones, King’s Landing is a central place in the events of the series where the stories of the characters cross and mingle: it is the place where intrigues, secrets and conspiracies are born and nurtured. The two-kilometer long city walls can be explored and visited by paying an entrance ticket and offers a spectacular view over the rooftops of Dubrovnik or the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea.
THE STAIRS OF THE JESUITES
The Jesuit Stairs off St. Dominka Street are one of the locations on Cersei Lannister’s famous Atonement Walk in the fifth season of the series, where Cersei is mocked by people, shouting “shame.”
The baroque staircase leads to the “citadel of the Jesuits” and to the Church of Sant’Ignazio, a neighborhood full of cafes and open-air restaurants.
FORTRESS OF LOVRIJENAC
Lovrijeanac Fortress, also known as Fort of St. Lawrence, is a splendid fortress located outside the western wall of the old city of Dubrovnik and is recognizable as the Red Fortress, the royal castle at King’s Landing. He appears in many episodes of the show and the disputed Game of Thrones is located inside the Fort. Furthermore, the bay overlooked by the Fortress was the scene of the iconic Battle of the Black Waters, one of the most legendary of the entire television series.
FORTRESS OF Minčeta
The imposing Minčeta Tower is the highest point in Dubrovnik and offers splendid views of the Old Town. The circular tower defended the northern part of the city from invasions by land, in the Throne of Swords its mighty walls represent the seat of the House of the Eternals, the building where the elderly sorcerers of Quarth live.
ARBORET OF TRSTENUS
This park is about a 25-minute drive north of Dubrovnik, and is known as the King’s Landing Garden. In this small park with a pavilion-gazebo overlooking the blue sea, the long walks of Lord Varys, Tyrion, Cersei, Lady Olenna and Margarey Tyrell are set, where secrets are told and strategies are discussed.
LOKRUM ISLAND
10 minutes by boat from the old port of Dubrovnik is the beautiful island of Lokrum: a nature reserve inhabited by peacocks and rabbits in the wild and is famous for the small salt water lake called Mrtvo More or the Dead Sea. The main attraction of the island is the Benedictine Monastery which hosts an exhibition on the history of the island and where the Throne Room is located, a reproduction of The Throne of Swords, where you can sit down to take pictures, a must for the GOT fans.
In the telefilm Lokrum is transformed into Quarth, the beautiful and luxuriant “City of Merchants” and the cloister of the ancient monastery is the garden where Xaro’s party takes place, during which Daenerys meets the Eternals for the first time.
All the narrow streets, alleys or large buildings of Dubrovnik have appeared in some GOT scene, now you just have to admire the buildings and places of the series live.
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