Movie locations around the world part 3

This is part 3 of my quest for finding movie locations around the world. Left images are from the actual films and to the right are my visits to the spots.

You may also be interested in Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9 and Part 10.

Game of Thrones (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016)

Game of Thrones: City gate, Mdina

During the first season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, many scenes set in King’s Landing were shot in Mdina, a small town on the island of Malta. For instance, the scene in episode 3 where Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) enters King’s Landing was filmed at the Mdina city gate. Other locations in Malta were used, such as Fort Ricasoli in Valetta which appears as the Red Keep. Unfortunately there were issues with a subcontractor damaging protected land, so the production moved from Malta to Dubrovnik in Croatia instead.

Game of Thrones: Dubrovnik, Croatia

During second season and onward, Dubrovnik was used as King’s Landing in a lot of scenes. This pier is just below Fort Lovrijenac outside the city walls, where Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) is talking to Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner).

Game of Thrones: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Same pier, different angle. Right image is me doing my worst Baelish stance.

Game of Thrones: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Fort Lovrijenac is featured in a variety of disguises, sometimes as the Red Keep and sometimes not. Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Lord Varys (Conleth Hill) are planning the defense from the ramparts of Bokar Fort. The ramparts can be climbed for a great view of the sea and city rooftops.

Game of Thrones: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) visited the House of Undying in the town of Qarth. It was filmed at the base of Minceta Tower, highest point of the city walls in Dubrovnik.

Game of Thrones: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Daenerys running around House of Undying in the town of Qarth.

Game of Thrones: Alcázar, Seville

Season five of Game of Thrones moves some of the action to Seville in southwest Spain. Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is facing off against the Sand Snakes inside the “Dorne Water Gardens”, which is actually the gardens of the Alcázar of Seville.

Game of Thrones: Alcázar, Seville

Meanwhile, Myrcella Baratheon (Nell Tiger) is taking it far more easy near the fountain.

Game of Thrones: Bisbe Cartaña, Girona

The Spanish town Girona is featured a lot in the sixth season of Game of Thrones. Near the backside of the cathedral, there is a small street that was featured in several scenes. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is begging on the streets of Braavos…

Game of Thrones: Bisbe Cartaña, Girona

…when she is attacked by the waif (Faye Marsay). The crew hung nets above the street, maybe to obscure the obvious view of the cathedral in the background.

Game of Thrones: Sant Marti Sacosta church, Girona

Arya is attacked once more, and during the escape she tumbles down large stairs occupied by grocery dealers. This is actually the stairs of Sant Marti Sacosta church. There are glimpses of several more landmarks during her escape, such as the columned Arab Baths and the bridge near Plaça dels Jurats.

Game of Thrones: Carrer de Sant Llorenç, Girona

Poor Arya is limping down the steep alley of Carrer de Sant Llorenç. Rough times for our favorite assassin.

Game of Thrones: Cathedral of Girona

Apart from the town of Braavos, Girona was also used for scenes in King’s Landing. The imposing Cathedral featured as a stand-in for the Great Sept of Baelor…

Game of Thrones: Cathedral of Girona

…where Jaime galloped up the stairs to have a showdown with High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce).

Game of Thrones: Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants, Girona

This old Benedictine abbey from 992 was used in a scene where Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) and Gilly (Hannah Murray) arrive at the Citadel of Oldtown. Next to the church is the square Plaça dels Jurats, where Arya watch the play about the Lannister family, as well as the old stone bridge where Arya is stabbed by the waif (but the bridge itself has no water under it, so the water scene was actually filmed in Northern Ireland).

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

The Da Vinci Code: Louvre, Paris

The Da Vinci Code from 2006 is based on the bestselling book by Dan Brown, featuring a lot of familiar locations. It all starts with Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) meeting up with Bezu Fache (Jean Reno) at the Louvre Pyramid in central Paris.

The Da Vinci Code: Street in Paris, France

121 bronze Arago markers were once placed in the streets of Paris to mark the Paris meridian, but unfortunately many of them are gone today.

The Da Vinci Code: Saint-Sulpice, Paris

Silas (Paul Bettany) visits Saint-Sulpice, which is the largest church in Paris. He starts to follow the “rose line” to find his prize, but even though there is an actual white marking across the floor, it is actually another meridian.

The Da Vinci Code: Temple Church, London

Langdon and Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) are soon off to London, where they examine the old Temple Church.

The Da Vinci Code: Temple Church, London

It doesn’t take long before things are heating up, right among the effigies in the floor.

The Da Vinci Code: Temple Church, London

The bad guy leaves the church in an appropriately dramatic fashion.

The Da Vinci Code: Westminster Abbey, London

The dynamic duo heads to Westminster Abbey, but the actual filming took place inside Lincoln Cathedral.

The Da Vinci Code: Westminster Abbey, London

Meeting up with Teabing (Ian McKellen) in front of Newtons tomb (also filmed at Lincoln Cathedral).

The Da Vinci Code: Westminster Abbey, London

The final showdown between Langdon and Teabing takes in the Cloister House in the southeast part of Westminster Abbey (although this was also filmed on another location).

The Da Vinci Code: Westminster Abbey, London

But the exterior scenes are unmistakably the real Westminster Abbey.

The Da Vinci Code: Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland

Langdon and Sophie arrive at the beautiful Rosslyn Chapel, south of Edinburgh. On my visit I was told by the locals that they were not overly fond of the film crew invading their idyllic small town.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Midnight in Paris: Place de l’Abbé Basset, Paris

There are many great Paris locations in this movie by Woody Allen. Here is Gil (Owen Wilson) and Inez (Rachel McAdams) waiting for the time-traveling car on the church stairs, which frequently appear during the movie. This is actually the side door entrance to Saint-Étienne-du-Mont near Pantheon.

Midnight in Paris: Quay de Bourbon, Paris

Arriving in style to the party at Quay de Bourbon, on the western tip of Île Saint-Louis.

Midnight in Paris: Shakespeare and Company, Paris

Gil is coming out from Shakespeare and Company. This particular bookstore is also the place where Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) met in Before Sunset, and it was featured in a Michael Palin travel episode.

Midnight in Paris: Pont Alexandre III, Paris

Gil is joined by Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) for an evening stroll across Pont Alexandre III, the extravagant bridge which also can be seen in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985) and several other movies.

Contact (1997)

Contact: VLA, New Mexico

Several movies and music videos have been filmed at the VLA observatory in New Mexico, but the most iconic is arguably Contact. Here is Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) visiting one of the antennas. There is a small exhibition at the VLA with images from the film production.

Contact : Tidal Basin, Washington DC

Washington Monument features as a romantic backdrop to Ellie and Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey) as they discuss science versus religion on a walk.

Control (2007)

Control: Barton Street, Macclesfield

Anton Corbijn directed this black&white movie about the life of Ian Curtis. On May 18 in 1980, the lead singer of Joy Division ended his life in his home at 77 Barton Street, which is also the on-screen location of his home in the movie.

Control: Macclesfield Cemetery

Ian Curtis was buried at the Macclesfield Cemetery, in reality as well as in the movie. His small tombstone is a bit difficult to find, featuring the inscription “Love will tear us apart”.

Into the Wild (2007)

Into the Wild: Salvation Mountain, California

The movie is a chronicle of the life of Christopher McCandless, based on the book by Jon Krakauer. During his travels in 1990 McCandless arrived at the Salvation Mountain, a peculiar art installation by Leonard Knight located near Salton Sea in California. In this scene, the actors Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart walk across the grounds with Leonard himself.

The Terminator (1984)

Terminator: Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

Griffith Observatory is very popular in the movies. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger walked around here naked as The Terminator back in 1984.

From Russia with Love (1963)

From Russia with Love: Maiden’s Tower, Istanbul

The second James Bond movie From Russia with Love has a lot of scenes in Istanbul. James Bond (Sean Connery) travels across the Bosphorus by ferry, with Üsküdar and Maiden’s Tower in the background. I did the same trip half a decade later, noticing that a lot more buildings has been constructed since then.

From Russia with Love: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Bond also makes a mandatory visit to the Hagia Sophia.

Back to the Future 3 (1990)

Back to the Future 3: Monument Valley, Arizona

The third part of the trilogy has Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) travel back in time to 1885, where he arrives in Monument Valley. He returns to the same location later on in the movie, trying to accelerate the DeLorean by using horses.

Taken (2008)

Taken: Pont des Arts, Paris

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) goes on a violent rampage all across Paris, before ending up at the beautiful Pont des Arts with the dome of Institut de France in the background.

Taken 2 (2012)

Taken 2: Malibu Pier, California

In a short scene, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) meets up with his family at the Malibu Pier for a rare relaxing time.

Young Guns 2 (1990)

Young Guns 2: White Sands, New Mexico

During the first scenes, Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez) meets up with a reporter in the cold desert of White Sands, about a day’s ride from the territory where the real Billy the Kid was active.