GRADAC PARK: Purple Wedding.
The wedding between Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell is also known as the Purple Wedding. It was a great event in the history of Westeros because this was the marriage ceremony of the King of the Seven Kingdoms.
The display was unprecedented, the Lannisters celebrated a huge feast, lavishly decorated the whole town and arranged several live performances to entertain their numerous guests. The size of this wedding was such that the filming took place over 4 or 5 whole days.
The chosen location for an event of this importance was Gradac Park. This is a very centric park in Dubrovnik overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and it is only 5 minutes walking away from Pile Gate.
Tragically, (only for the Lannister family) this huge celebration suddenly ended when Joffrey was poisoned and dropped dead after the cutting of the wedding cake.
LOVRIJENAC OR FORT OF ST. LAWRENCE: The Red Keep.
The Red Keep is the heart of King’s Landing, it is the seat of the King of the Seven Kingdoms and thy ultimate symbol of Westeros’ political power.
The chosen building to recreate it was Fort Lovrejinac or Fort of St. Lawrence. This impressive fort on the top of an islet outside the Walls of Dubrovnik has as much political and historical significance as the Red Keep.
This was a key spot in the resistance of The Republic of Ragusa, whose motto was: “Liberty is not sold for all the gold in the world”. A sentence that you can still see engraved in the stone of its walls.
Nowadays, this fort is a cultural symbol of the city due to all the theatrical performance that are held within its stone walls. If you visit Lovrijenac you will also be able to enjoy a wonderful view of Dubrovnik’s Old Town.
In the show, this building witnessed Joffrey’s designation as a King and how Cersei strolling and talking politics along its courts.
PILE GATE: King’s Landing entrance.
Pile Gate was, and still is, the main access to the walled part of the city of Dubrovnik. It was built in 1537 and for many years it was the only entrance to the Republic of Ragusa. Its drawbridge was lifted every single night to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the city.
This historical Pile was transformed in the series into “the main access” to King’s Landing. When Jaime Lannister returned home (without a hand but with Brienne of Tarth) they walked through this access.
This was also the spot where the riot of King’s Landing against King Joffrey Baratheon took place after Princess Myrcella Baratheon set sail for Dorne to be wed. And, of course, Joffrey tried to silence the riot mercifully (irony intended) by killing every living creature in King’s Landing.
WEST HARBOUR: Blackwater Bay.
Five minutes away from Pile Gate we find Dubrovnik’s West Harbour. A small pier which was used as a location for the striking Battle of Blackwater.
This was a conflict right outside King’s Landing fought between the forces loyal to Stannis Baratheon and the forces loyal to Joffrey Baratheon.
West Harbour was used for its beauty but also because this is quite a remote place from the main beaches of Dubrovnik. And the two only existing accesses to the harbour made pretty easy to close this spot to the general public while filming.
Other scenes apart from the Battle of Blackwater were also shot in this place. For example, this is where Sansa Stark and Littlefinger sometimes had their always intriguing conversations looking at the horizon.
DOMINICAN MONASTERY: Streets of King’s Landing.
The riot previously mentioned against King Joffrey started on the stairs of this Dominican Monastery from the 14th century.
But in reality this place couldn’t be more peaceful. Inside its walls you will find a moment of stillness in the middle of the (sometimes) noisy Dubrovnik. It is located very near Ploče Gate and it is one of the oldest monuments of the city.
WALLS OF DUBROVNICK: Walls of King’s Landing.
The 2 kilometres long medieval Walls that circle the city are, without a doubt, the emblem of Dubrovnik. Built in the 12th century, its 25 metres high walls have protected the city from several dangers across history.
Such an impressive symbol of power and strength had to became part of the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Numerous scene of the show take place on the Walls of Dubrovnik, I mean the Walls of King’s Landing.
Buy maybe the highlight are the long talks between Tyrion and Varys. They may not be wearing armours but as they walk the walls they are also defending the city (and they interests) with their intelligence.
Dubrovnik is the only city in the world with the totality of its walls in perfect condition. This is the reason why in 1970 UNESCO declared them (and the Old Town of the city) a World Heritage Site.
MINČETA TOWER: The House of the Undying.
Minčeta Tower is one of the tallest points of the Walls of Dubrovnik and it turned into The House of the Undying in season two. This is the set of the warlocks of Qarth and the place Daenerys went to rescue her dragons.
Minčeta’s height was digitally modified but this is the real spot that Daenerys endlessly circled around in order to find the mysterious entrance to the tower. Don’t worry, you won’t have to get dizzy to find the real access inside the tower.
JESUIT STAIRS OF ST. IGNATUIS: Staircase of the Great Sept of Baelor.
The iconic ‘Walk of Shame’ is one of the most famous scenes of the show. We all remember how Cersei Lannister was forced to walk naked through the streets of King’s Landing at the rhythm of a bell and the word “Shame”. This all happened while the people in the streets spat upon her and threw her stones and all kinds of dirt.
The Jesuit Stairs of St. Ignatius Church in Dubrovnik witnessed this terrible punishment by the High Sparrow as Cersei began to walk down its Baroque stairs in the last episode of season five.
The view of the Red Keep in the horizon was later added digitally. But still, if you stop at the top of this staircase and look down to the streets of the Old Town you will be able to imagine the kind of humiliation Cersei must have felt in that moment.
STRADUN STREET: Cersei’s Walk of Shame.
‘The Walk of Shame’ was far from ending on the stairs of St. Ignatius. On the contrary, Cersei’s punishment had just begun. Cersei Lannister had to endure a very, very long walk till the Red Keep, her home. A walk full of humiliations and abuses.
Cersei’s character walked through several streets in the Old Town of Dubrovnik. But the highlighting point was Stradun Streeet, the main artery of the city of Dubrovnik.
It is curious to note that, ‘The Walk of Shame’ was one of the most expensive scenes to shoot in Dubrovnik, because the filming took place in several busy streets of the city.
The show’s production had to pay to the many shops and restaurants of this area to closed for the day. And the same went for the neighbours living in the city centre in order to prevent them from going out their houses in the middle of a take.
Can you imagine how it would’ve been to hear the cries of “Shame” from your home all day long? Certainly it cannot be compared to Cersei’s punishment, but it would’ve also been quite horrific.
Stradun Street also makes an appearance in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi and the latest adaptation of Robin Hood.
THE RUPE MUSEUM: Littlefinger’s brothel.
The Ethnografic Museum Dubrovnik (The Rupe Museum) is the place to go if you want to know more about the history of the city prior to Game of Thrones. Before the streets of Dubrovnik got forever intertwined with the streets of King’s Landing.
In the show, however, this building had a much less educational purposes. The Museum got transformed into the brothel of Petyr Baelish, also known as Littlefinger.
RECTOR’S PALACE: King of Qarth Mansion.
While in Qarth Daenerys was looking for allies and she asked the Spice King for ships to sail her whole army to Westeros across the Narrow Sea.
The Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik was chosen to recreate the distinguished mansion of this rich and powerful merchant.
Nowadays (and in reality), the Rector’s Palace serves as a museum, but historically this was the most important building of Dubrovnik, for it was the seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808).
Here you have a detailed map with all the locations we have discussed above. Places you can also visit strolling along the city of Dubrovnik.
There is also the option to get to know the city with a guided tour. Your guide will tell you all the secrets from the filming days in the city and the history of Dubrovnik. In the ‘Activities’ section you will find a selection of these experiences!
But… hold on! There are still many significant Game of Thrones locations to discover outside Dubrovnik. Keep reading!
HOTEL BELVEDERE: Battle between Oberyn Martell and ‘The Mountain’.
The Hotel Belvedere is an abandoned hotel on the outskirts of Dubrovnik. You can get to Belvedere walking from the city centre but the walk will take you around 30 or 40 minutes.
The hotel no longer “exists” so you will not be able to find it by its name in Google Maps. (But don’t worry we’ve got you covered, the address is Ul. Vlaha Bukovca 27, 20000.)
This five stars hotel was shattered in 1991 during the siege of the city that took place in the Croatian War of Independence. And it was never rebuilt.
However, this “neglect” was very welcomed by producers of the show for they could filmed undisturbed the famous (and bloody) scene where Oberyn Martell and ‘The Mountain’ fight to the death of one of them.
LOKRUM ISLAND: The City of Qarth.
But Dubrovnik had so much more to offer as a location to the show than just emulate the streets of King’s Landing. Many of its historic buildings were also transformed into the port city of Qarth, located in the south coast of Essos. A city Daenerys visited on her journey to Westeros.
Qarth is a rich trading city with beautiful gardens, and the team of Game of Thrones moved to Lokrum Island to shoot there some of its scenes
Lokrum is a tiny island near Dubrovnik’s coast, only 10 minutes away on boat. In 1964, the island was declared Natural Reserve and it became the perfect oasis of peace to recreate the place where the mystical warlocks of Qarth live.
The path that Daenerys and Jorah walk towards the House of the Undying is known as ‘The Path of Paradise’. Yes, this is its name in real life and the views you get when walking it do justice to the name.
Also on the island, in the Imperial Gardens of Maximilian, they were shot the outside scenes of Xaro Xhoan Daxos’ gathering. Xaro was a powerful merchant prince in Essos who tried to get married to Daenerys in order to help her conquer the Iron Throne.
Speaking of the Iron Throne, inside the 11th century Benedictine Monastery of the island, there is a replica of this coveted throne. Click in our ‘Activities’ section to learn more about this and other mysterious experiences in Lokrum!
There are other replicas of the Iron Throne scattered throughout the gift shops of Dubrovnik, but in Lokrum will be less busy. And you will be able to pretend for a little bit longer to be the King or Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
TRSTENO ARBORETUM: Red Keep Gardens.
The most terrible conspiracies of the Seven Kingdoms were discussed among shady trees, exotic flowers and fountains of Greek Gods. The gardens of the Red Keep are, in the series, a bucolic place where the future of Westeros is decided while taking a stroll.
In season three, Lady Olenna and Margaery Tyrell question Sansa Stark inside these gardens about Joffrey Baratheon. To the point that a terrified Sansa finally admits that “he is a monster”.
In reality, the Gardens of Trsteno Arboretum are a place as bucolic as it is in the show, but it doesn’t hide as many secrets among their exotic trees (or at least we believe so).
The Gardens are located in Trsteno, a town 20 kilometres south from Dubrovnik. They were put together by a noble family of the area that asked the sailors to bring seeds from their trips. If you want to know more about how to visit these Gardens, visit our ‘Activiites’ section!
