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Seville has three Game of Thrones filming locations, and you can visit all three: the Royal Alcazar, which was the kingdom of Dorne; the Royal Shipyards, which have been converted into the crypts of the Red Fortress; and the amphitheatre at Italics, who played the role of Well of the Dragons.
Here you have which scene was filmed in exactly which spot and which series it’s from, as all three relate to different storylines and moments in the series.
The Royal Alcazar was Dorne in the Series 5: the Water Gardens, the summer residence of the Martell House, in the southernmost kingdom of Westeros.
And this achievement was recognised by the production team: The Alcázar suited them so well that they didn’t need any digital retouching. It is one of the few locations in the series that appears exactly as it is, without any CGI.
A note for those familiar with the books: in the novel, the Water Gardens were built by the prince Maron Martell as a wedding present for the princess Daenerys Targaryen, to celebrate Dorne’s union with the Seven Kingdoms. Mind you, she’s not the Daenerys from the series, but rather an ancestor of hers from almost two centuries earlier.
It is the viewpoint from which Ellaria Arena watches alongside Doran Martell Myrcella Lannister strolling with her fiancé, Trystane. She is upstairs, seething with rage; they are downstairs, in the garden.
The gallery is a refurbishment of the 17th century from an old Almohad wall, a work by the Italian Mannerist architect Vermondo Resta, master builder of the Alcázar since 1603, decorated with roughly hewn stones. Below this lies the Mercury Reservoir.
It is worth clarifying this point here, as the two are often confused. They are two different gardens, and both of them lead out:
And here’s a fact that hardly anyone mentions: the Fuente de la Fama is home to a hydraulic organ and it is the only 17th-century organ still in existence in Spain, one of the three remaining in Europe. It chimes at specific times of the day.
Crossing the Garden of Dance and passing in front of the Fountain of Fame, the Sand Snakes they come across Jaime Lannister and Bronn next to the Pavilion of Charles V and the The Lion’s Arbour. The fight ends with everyone being captured by the Dornish guard: it is the Episode 6 of Season 5.
An underground gallery with a pond covered by ribbed vaults, beneath the Patio del Crucero and the Mercury Pond. It is the most atmospheric spot in the Alcázar.
The scene: this is where Ellaria Arena urges the Sand Snakes to rebel. Conspiracy, not a bathroom: the dim light and the reflection of the water on the stone did the job all by themselves.
The name comes from María de Padilla, the king’s mistress Peter I of Castile, and the legend according to which she used to bathe in the central pool whilst the king and his court drank from that very same water afterwards.
Under his golden dome the meeting in which… was filmed Jaime Lannister is negotiating with the Martells Myrcella’s return to King’s Landing. All that was needed for the shoot was to add drapes and furniture: not a single digital effect.
Just a few minutes’ walk from the Alcázar are the Royal Shipyards, the medieval shipyards he had built Alfonso X in the 13th century for building and repairing galleys. A brick building Gothic-Mudejar, with extremely long naves connected by arches.
In the series, these are the cellars of the Red Keep, where they are stored the skulls of the ancient dragons of House Targaryen. It was the logical choice: there was no need to build anything.
The scene from series 7: It is here that Qyburn shows Cersei the giant crossbow which he has designed to slay Daenerys’ dragons, with Balerion’s skull in the background. The Atarazanas reappear in the final stretch of the Series 8, in a scene between Cersei and Jaime.
Before you go, check whether they’re open: The building has been undergoing renovation for years and its opening hours are not fixed, so it is advisable to check in advance.
About 9 kilometres from Seville, in Santiponce, there is Italica: the first Roman city founded in Hispania and the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. Its amphitheatre, one of the largest in the Empire, was the Well of the Dragons.
The scene from series 7: the great meeting of the houses of Westeros to agree a truce in the face of the threat posed by the White Walkers, with the arrival of Daenerys riding on Drogon’s back. The stands and the arena were used virtually as they were.
Beyond the amphitheatre, the archaeological site still features paved streets, mosaics and the remains of Roman dwellings that are well worth a leisurely visit. It has own timetable and it’s outside the city centre, so you’ll need to set aside some time for it.
The practical breakdown:
Book a visit to the Alcázar in advance. It is one of the most visited monuments in Spain and tickets sell out quickly, especially in high season. And bear in mind that the Baños de María de Padilla and the Jardín de la Danza are in different parts of the site, so it’s a good idea to plan your route in advance.
If you’re staying in Málaga or on the Costa del Sol, the day trip to Seville It takes care of transport, leaving the day free to explore the historic centre.
The Alcázar and the Atarazanas are surrounded by the best of the old town:
You can find the set at Seville’s must-see sights and, if you’re short on time, at What to see in Seville in a day.
Seville wasn’t HBO’s only stop in the south. In Cordoba, the Roman Bridge served as Volantis and the Castle of Almodóvar del Río brought Highgarden and Casterly Rock to life. The Alcazaba of Almeria She also appeared as Dorne, and the Osuna bullring, right here in the province of Seville, was the scene of Meereen.
It’s all brought together in The Game of Thrones trail through Andalusia.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising day trips around Andalusia. If you’re staying on the coast, here are the options for exploring the city in a day:
Three. The Real Alcázar served as the Kingdom of Dorne in series 5, the Reales Atarazanas stood in for the crypts of the Red Keep in series 7 and 8, and the amphitheatre at Italica, in Santiponce, was the Dragonpit in series 7. The Alcázar and the Royal Shipyards are in the historic centre; Italica is about 9 kilometres away.
Five specific locations: the Grotesque Gallery overlooking the Mercury Pond, from where Ellaria Arena and Doran Martell look out over the garden; the Dance Garden, where Myrcella and Trystane stroll; the Ladies’ Garden with the Fountain of Fame, next to the Pavilion of Charles V and the Lion’s Arbour, where the Sand Snakes fight with Jaime and Bronn; the Baths of Doña María de Padilla, where Ellaria incites the rebellion; and the Hall of Ambassadors, where Jaime meets with the Martells.
Hardly at all. The production team acknowledged that the Real Alcázar was so perfectly suited to what they were looking for in Dorne that they didn’t need to make any digital alterations – something quite unusual for the series. In the Hall of Ambassadors, they simply added drapes and furniture. That’s why the different areas are instantly recognisable when you visit it.
The cellars of the Red Keep, where the skulls of the ancient dragons are kept. The main scene is from Series 7: Qyburn shows Cersei Lannister the giant crossbow designed to bring down Daenerys’s dragons. The Shipyards reappear in the final part of Series 8, in a scene between Cersei and Jaime.
The Roman amphitheatre was the Dragonpit in Series 7, the setting for the grand gathering of the Houses of Westeros to agree on a truce against the White Walkers, to which Daenerys arrives flying on Drogon. The stands and the arena were used virtually unchanged.
Because its Mudejar architecture, its water courtyards and its vegetation fitted in with the idea of a warm, southern kingdom, in contrast to the north of Westeros. In the series, it stands in for the Water Gardens, the Martell family’s summer residence, and the scenes are mainly from Series 5, featuring the storylines involving Ellaria Sand, the Sand Snakes and Jaime Lannister’s arrival to rescue Myrcella.
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