House of the Dragon is an American fantasy TV series that is a prequel to the television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019), both based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. The prequel series was created by Martin and Ryan Condal for HBO and is based on parts of Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood.
Condal and Miguel Sapochnik are showrunners for House of the Dragon. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen, the events that led to and covered the War of the Targaryen Succession known as the “Dance of Dragons”.
Until now, ‘Game of Thrones fans have only heard about some of the Targaryens, but thanks to ‘House of the Dragons’, they will finally see these characters come to life and follow them on their journey. The narrative has many similar elements and themes, including dragons, which must tug at the viewer’s memory and make them look forward to each episode.
Additionally, there are several iconic locations that you can spot in the series, making you wonder if they are the same as in the original show.
Where Was House of the Dragon Series Filmed?
“The House of the Dragon” is being filmed in Spain, England, Croatia, Portugal, and the USA, specifically in Extremadura, Andalucia, Catalonia, Derbyshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Castelo Branco District, Surrey, Dubrovnik, and California.
Principal photography for the initial iteration of the series began in April 2021. Production was halted for two days in July 2021 due to a positive case of Covid-19 among cast and crew members. Finally, filming has resumed and is seemingly complete by February 2022. Now let’s take a look at all the specific locations featured in HBO‘s House of the Dragon series!
Spain
Many key scenes for “House of the Dragon” take place in Extremadura, an autonomous community in Spain. Specifically, the team is setting up camp in and around the city of Cáceres. In October 2021, they were spotted filming several sequences for the debut season at the Trujillo Alcazaba on Pl. del Castillo, 1, 10200 Trujillo. The castle represents Casterly Rock, the ancestral stronghold of House Lannister.
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In addition, the Arco de la Estrella in C. Arco de la Estrella and the Cathedral of Santa María in Pl. St. María, 3 serves as an important lens location for the series. Additionally, many exterior shots are recorded throughout the city, including Plaza de San Jorge, Plaza San Mateo, Calle Amargura, Cuesta de Aldana, and Calle Adarve de Santa Ana.
Several parts of the series are filmed in Lloret de Mar, a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia. According to reports, the cast and crew of ‘House of the Dragon’ are also using the premises of Castillo de La Calahorra, located in La Calahorra, Granada Province. The historic architecture of the castle makes it an ideal location for the series.
England
For filming purposes, the ‘House of the Dragon’ production team set up camp in Cornwall, a historic and ceremonial county in southwest England. In fact, during the early stages of filming the first season, the production unit was spotted along Mount’s Bay, including Kynance Cove and Holywell Bay in Newquay. Additionally, the tidal island of St. Michael’s Mount in Mount’s Bay in the series depicts Driftmark, the ancestral seat of House Velaryon.
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The production unit of the prequel is also traveling to Derbyshire, a county in the East Midlands of England to shoot some key sequences for the show. Locations that can be seen in the background of several scenes in the series are the village of Castleton, the Peak District, Cave Dale, Eldon Hill, and Heanor Marketplace.
Several key sequences for “House of the Dragon” take place in Hertfordshire, a ceremonial county in southern England. In particular, the cast and crew make the most of the facilities at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden (formerly known as Leavesden Film Studios).
A new virtual production stage, V Stage, is used to film the show’s scenes, making it the first production to use advanced equipment. Located on Warner Drive in Leavesden, Watford, the film studio is home to 19 stages of various sizes and two of the largest tanks in Europe, meeting all the requirements any production could require.
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Additionally, the Iron Age fortress of Caesar’s Camp serves as a prominent filming location for the series. The fort is located between the nearby counties of Surrey and Hampshire in southern England. It is possible that Surrey, a county in southeast England, played a role in the production of the debut season by being the site of a major tournament scene.
Portugal
Other parts of ‘House of the Dragon’ are filmed in the district of Castelo Branco, which is located in central Portugal. In late October 2021, a film crew was spotted filming some key scenes for the opening season at Monsanto Castle in R. do Castelo 32, Monsanto Village.
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The Penha Garcia Castle at Largo da Igreja 1 in Penha Garcia is another major production location used in the series.
Croatia
According to reports, the Croatian city of Dubrovnik is a regular feature of the “Dragon House”. It is located in the Dalmatia region and is considered one of the most important tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.
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Some important monuments with a certain historical significance are the Rector’s Palace, the Church of St. Saviour, the Church of St. Blaise, and the Dubrovnik bell tower.
California
Several sequences of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 1 were filmed to stop the film unit in Los Angeles, a large city in Southern California.
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They seemingly took advantage of the diverse landscape of the city and filmed the necessary scenes on suitable backdrops.
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