Discover ALL Dubrovnik Game of Thrones locations

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Lord Byron described it as “The Pearl of the Adriatic”, Bernard Shaw “Paradise on Earth”. A lot has happened in Dubrovnik since then, yet truth in those statements remains.

Founded in the 7th century and originally called Ragusa, Dubrovnik was a city amidst a myriad of civilisations and cultures. Disputed between empires and armies, Dubrovnik has suffered a series of catastrophes along its history that have shaped its character. Notorious is the earthquake that destroyed most of its renaissance buildings in the 17th century (later rebuilt in the baroque style that can be seen today) and the shelling at the end of Yugoslavia in 1991, after which the Old Town, directly affected, was reconstructed under UNESCO guidelines to its previous state since it had become a World Heritage site in 1979.

The charming beauty of Dubrovnik, with its impressive monuments and the walled Grad or The City, as locals call the Old Town, provides a perfect setting for fairy tales and medieval stories brought to the screen. Fans of the renowned saga “Game of Thrones” will surely enjoy a tour around its filming locations.

 

Game of Thrones locations: inside The Old Town

Dominika Street

In the heart of The City, this is one of Game of Thrones locations for King’s Landing. Located near the Dominican monastery, this street and the narrow alleys around have been widely used in the series to portray many market scenes. It is also here where the Gold Cloaks kill King Robert’s illegitimate sons in season 2. Another scene in episode 5 takes place here: when Tyrion Lannister and Bronn witness a protest speech against the Lannisters, blaming Tyrion for the misfortunes in the city.

 

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The baroque stairs on Gundulic Square that lead to St. Ignatius Church, known as the Jesuit Staircase or The Spanish steps, served as a location for the Walk of Shame in season 5, when Cersei Lannister is forced to walk naked to the Red Keep in front of the crowds, stripped of all the power that her majesty attends. Probably one of the most famous Game of Thrones scenes. It was also the most expensive to film, since businesses in that street had to close for the day and people inhabiting apartments there remain inside with their windows shut.

 

Ethnographic Museum Rupe

This astonishing 16th building located in the Grad was once used to store grain. The dimensions and architecture of the building gives an idea of the importance this had for the inhabitants of Dubrovnik. The name Rupe makes reference to the silos carved in stone where barley, wheat and millet were kept.

The exterior of this building serves as the location for Littlefinger’s chic brothel in Game of Thrones. Amongst its wealthy, fine clientele of traders and nobles, King Robert, Ser Bronn and High Septon. It is also where in season 4 Tyrion Lannister meets Oberyn Martell.

The actual museum features handmade textile work and traditional costumes on its second floor, while on the first, visitors will find displays and explanations regarding the traditional architecture and rural economy of Dubrovnik. It is open to the public all year round from 9am to 4pm, Wednesday to Monday.

 

Rector’s Palace

This Game of Thrones location was chosen to double as the residence of the Spice King in Qarth. Actually, Qarth was filmed in some other sites as well, but the interiors of the residence were shot here. We see the external side of Rector’s Place in season 2 when Daenerys Targaryen meets the Spice King of Qarth to ask for ships to return to Westeros, but receives nothing.

The palace dates back to the 15th century and was built to host the then elected Rector who governed the Republic of Ragusa. Its architecture is mainly gothic, but it harmoniously combines elements of renaissance and baroque style, since it suffered damages in different occasions due to fires, explosions and earthquakes.

 

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The building serves now as the Cultural History Museum of Dubrovnik, which is open to the public every day from 9am to 4pm, except for Christmas, New Year’s Day and St. Blaise on the 3rd February. Tickets cost 80 kuna for adults, for schoolchildren and students, 25 kuna.

 

Game of Thrones locations: The Walls of the Old Town

 

Pile Gate

Just outside the walls of The City in Dubrovnik there is Pile Gate, actually, its main entrance, west of the walled city centre. This location can be seen from all the corners in seasons 2 and 3. A very famous scene is The Riot of King’s Landing (season 2 episode 6) during The War of the Five Kings.

This fortified complex is defended by Fort Bokar and a moat that goes all around the walls on the outside. At present, the moat is dry and its garden provides some fresh air away from the crowds. From the top of Pile Gate, there are fantastic views of a small fishing harbour located between Fort Bokar and Fort Lovrijenac to enjoy.

 

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At the entrance there is a bridge with a gothic arch on each side which connects to another wooden drawbridge. In the past, this bridge would be pulled up at night. Nowadays the doors of the city are always open to visitors.

 

Ploče Gate

This 14th century Romanesque style gate served as a location for the Red Keep Gate in Game of Thrones. It is from where Cersei Lannister enters the Red Keep after the Walk of Shame in season 5 episode 10. The site also appeared in season 2, when Tyrion has a conversation with Lancel Lannister in episode 5.

 

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Ploče Gate, also known as Vrata od Ploča, is one of the main entrances to The City in Dubrovnik, this one located on the east side. It used to be a drawbridge made out of wood that would also be pulled at night to prevent the entrance of intruders and undesirable visitors, but it was later built in stone with balustrades. It has an inner section and an outer one, where The Revelin Fortress is found. It used to be a lookout point to the east of the city. On top of Ploče Gate there is a statue of the Patron Saint of Dubrovnik, Sveti Vlaho or Saint Blaise, which is celebrated every 3rd February with festivities that last several days.

 

Fort Lovrijenac

This Game of Thrones location doubles as the residence of the King of the Andals and the First Men, his family and his court in King’s Landing; the Red Keep. The opening of season 2, the tournament celebrated during King Joffrey’s name day, was filmed here. The scene of characters watching the Battle of Blackwater Bay, too. The real bay is Pile Bay, which the Fortress overlooks. It also appears in the killing of King Robert’s bastard sons as the Gold Cloaks raid homes, and when in season 2 episode 6 Myrcella sails off to Dorne.

 

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Lovrijenac Fortress, also Tower Lovrijenac or Fort St. Lawrence is located west of the city and known as Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar, built on a 37m high cliff overlooking the sea. It dates back to the 11th century, although chronologist establishes it between 1018 and 1038. It has a particular architecture and history. It was built upon suspicion that Venetians were planning to invade the city, with western walls of 12m thick and eastern walls of only 60cm. Its shape is triangular, with different floor levels and terraces where nowadays spectacles and events take place.

 

Fort Bokar

This Fortress, known as Tvrđava Bokar, is found at the western corner of the city walls. It was built in the 15th century to defend Pile Gate. The building was projected by a Florentine architect as a two-storey armoured fort, at present considered one of the oldest in Europe. Part of the fortress was built on a detached rock, so arched supports were built to connect the whole structure.

In the series, this location was used for several Game of Thrones scenes. The seaside walls are used as King’s Landing walls. From the tower, they are best seen in season 2 episode 8, when Tyrion and Lord Varys discuss war-strategies on Bokar Fortress, and in season 6 when Jaime Lannister returns from Drone with the dead body of Myrcella. In season 7, Cersei and Jaime watch from this Fort the Iron Fleet arrive at King’s Landing.

 

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The fortress that can be admired today is as it was in 1570, when it was finally completed. Nowadays it holds various of its cannons on display on the inside and a beautiful collection of lapidary stones.

 

Minčeta Tower

Originally built in 1319 by local architect Ničifor Ranjina, it served as a protecting fortress for 100 years. It was reconstructed after the fall of Bosnia to the Turks and adapted to new warfare practices. A new round tower around the earlier quadrilateral fort was done by the same architect who designed Fort Bokar, and the high narrow tower with the iconic gothic crown was added by Juraj Dalmatinac, from Zadar, Croatia. It was considered a symbol of an unconquerable city.

Minčeta Tower takes the name from the family who owned the land where it was constructed. It is the tallest and most visited defence tower in Dubrovnik, since the landmark offers spectacular views of the city. The 750 steps that lead to the top of the tower are certainly worth the effort.

 

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In Game of Thrones, the base of this location is the outside of the House of the Undying in the town of Qarth. A famous scene takes place in season 2, when Daenerys Targaryen tries to find the entrance of this mysterious place in search of her stolen dragons.

 

Game of Thrones locations: outside the Old Town

Lokrum Island

The garden and exterior scenes happening in Qarth actually take place in Lokrum, like when Daenerys attends a party in season 2 episode 5 where she meets the warlocks.

This tiny island in front of the east coast of Dubrovnik is a Nature and a Special Forest Vegetation Reserve with plenty of greenery that provides shade and freshness during the hot summer days. It has gardens with hundreds of botanical species planted in the 19th century, as well as peacocks introduced by the Austrian archduke Maximilian. One of its main attractions is a lake called Dead Sea or Mrtvo More, which is a salt lake linked to the sea through various underground caves.

 

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On the highest point of the island, at 96 metres above sea level and offering remarkable views of Dubrovnik, stands Fort Royal Castle, built by the French during their occupation of Croatia. However, the most prominent building is the Benedictine Monastery founded in 1023 and which holds a replica of the Iron Throne.

 

Trsteno Arboretum

This location situated just 24km north-west of Dubrovnik is one of the oldest and more beautiful tree gardens in the area thanks to the seafaring tradition of its people, who enriched the garden with species from their voyages. There is a gothic-renaissance summer residence from the 15th century with a Neptune fountain and a neoromantic park. The Arboretum is a protected area and the Summer residence and gardens were declared a monument of garden architecture in 1962, but the war events in 1991 destroyed a large part of it, with partial damages to the residence and the oldest part of the gardens. The Arboretum is open to the public and absolutely worth a visit.

 

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As for Game of Thrones, Trsteno Arboretum doubles as the gardens of the Red Keep, so this location appears in many scenes.

 

Hotel Belvedere

This 5-star hotel opened its doors in 1985 as a super-luxury hotel in the Adriatic, with an arena overlooking the sea and panoramic views of the city, but war got on its way. In 1991 it was destroyed by bombs, leaving it a hazardous place to rumble.

It was bought at an auction in 2014 by a Russian millionaire and the project for the new hotel intends to convert it into a seven-star hotel which is expected to be ready for 2021. The place and project have not been discussed locally without controversy.

In the series, it is shown in season 4 episode 8, when the battle in the arena of King’s Landing between Prince Oberyn and Ser Gregor Clegane decides the fate of Tyrion Lannister.

 

Villa Sheherezade

Less than 1km away from Dubrovnik Old Town stands this magnificent Villa. The story has it that it was built by a Lithuanian entrepreneur for his beloved wife after escaping The October Revolution in Russia in the 1920s. This secluded high-luxury mansion occupies 4200sq m of land and is surrounded by terraces and gardens that lead to the crystal waters of the Adriatic, facing Lokrum island. It is a true retreat in one of the most exclusive locations in Dubrovnik which have hosted celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It is available for rent at a price of €7,000 / day in the summer months (June to September).

 

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In Game of Thrones, this spectacular location serves as the exterior for the mansion of Illyrios Mopatis, the rich merchant-prince, a supporter of House Targaryen and benefactor of Daenerys.

To visit the place where the actual Villa is, it takes just a 10-minute walk from Ploče Gate, following the shoreline.

 

Gradac Park

Just about 10 minutes walking from Fort Lovrijenac and west of the city, there is this oasis of trees and paths where to get away from the hustle in the Old Town. Fountains and benches shaded by the branches of pine trees, nice footpaths to stroll and enjoy the views of the Fort and the Bay are assured here.

The Purple Wedding was shot at this location. The park was transformed, with loads of invitees, music, food and drinks to celebrate Joffrey Baratheon’s wedding, until it turned a drama with the death by poisoning of the groom. The Game of Thrones scene shot in Gradac Park was certainly not as tranquil as the park is in real life.

 

Dubrovnik is a place that will captivate you, Game of Thrones fan or not!

Do not miss the chance to sail its absolutely crystal-clear waters and discover the amazing islands nearby. Check available catamaran charters from Dubrovnik and create lingering holiday memories.

 

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