Where was House of the Dragon filmed?

By James Hibbs

Published: Monday, 22 August 2022 at 12:00 am

It wouldn’t be the world of Game of Thrones without a few things – dragons, politics, battles and some seriously stunning locations.

For House of the Dragon, the team has continued Thrones’ tradition of filming in a setting featuring incredible natural beauty, with scenes shot around the UK as well as further afield.

The new series may not feature any ventures north of The Wall (that we know of yet) but settings including Kings Landing and Dorne are recreated through a mixture of CGI and unbelievable practical sets.

But just where was the new series filmed, and did it use the same locations as Game of Thrones? Read on for everything you need to know about the filming locations used for House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon filming locations

Is the series filmed in Northern Ireland like Game of Thrones?

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Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.
HBO

While the original series featured numerous filming locations including Spain, Croatia, Iceland and many more, Game of Thrones’ real home was in Northern Ireland. Not only were exteriors shot there, but the production also used studios outside Belfast, for which there is now a Game of Thrones tour fans can go on.

In 2019 it was estimated that £251 million had been brought to Northern Ireland’s economy since production began in 2010, with Tourism NI suggesting that 350,000 visitors come to the country every year specifically for Game of Thrones.

However, for House of the Dragon, the production team have switched things up, with the new series not filming in Northern Ireland. Instead, the majority of filming was relocated to England, with the exact reason not currently known.

Where is the series filmed?

England

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Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in House of the Dragon.

The majority of filming for House of the Dragon took place in England, with the show’s base being Leavesden Studios in Watford, London.

Production on the series started with two weeks of filming in Cornwall, with locations used including St Michael’s Mount, which reportedly doubles as Driftmark, according to Metro, the ancestral home of House Velaryon.

Holywell Beach was also used, as was Kynance Cove where a Veraryon army camp was set up.

Filming also took place in Castleton, Derbyshire, with specific locations reportedly including Cave Dale, Eldon Hill Quarry and the Market Place, notes BT. Additional locations were also reportedly used in Aldershot, Hampshire, noted Hampshire Live.

Spain

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House of the Dragon
HBO

While production on House of the Dragon didn’t return to Belfast, it did return to Cáceres in Spain, which previously doubled as King’s Landing in Game of Thrones season 7.

As well as filming throughout the historic city, the medieval town of Trujillo was also reportedly used, as it was in season 7.

A municipality in the south of Spain, La Calahorra, was apparently additionally used for a number of night shoots, with reports of flares and explosions suggesting it may be the location for a battle sequence, notes Oprah Daily.

Portugal

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Milly Alcock and Sian Brooke in House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton / HBO

Filming of the series also took place in Portugal, specifically in the hilltop village of Monsanto.

The nearby castle of Penha Garcia was also used, with the series’ production utilising the incredible views of the village.

The village, which is full of cave houses and massive granite boulders, which The Guardian reports are hoping to see a boost in tourism similar to that seen in Northern Ireland.

House of the Dragon is available from 22nd August exclusively on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW – sign up for Sky TV here. With an Entertainment Membership, fans can currently bundle together NOW Entertainment and Cinema Membership for £14.99 p/m. All episodes of Game of Thrones are also available to stream on NOW.

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