10 places in Russia where 'Game of Thrones' could have been filmed (PHOTOS)
What struck 'A Song of Ice and Fire' fans about the television series based on the novels were its unexpected plot twists, unpredictable characters and, of course, the authentic atmosphere of a fairy tale Middle Ages. Russia has similar locations, too!
1. Winterfell – Ivangorod Fortress
Snow-covered hills surround the ancestral castle of Winterfell where the action of the series begins. The subjects of House Stark live in the castle and shelter behind the walls of its powerful fortifications during enemy attacks.
The 15th-century Ivangorod Fortress on the bank of the River Narva is a close match for Winterfell. Built by Italian architects, it has mighty walls with arrow-slits, numerous towers with conical roofs and several buildings inside its walls. From the outside, the fortress even resembles the outlines of the Starks' castle.
2. The lands beyond the Wall – the Khibiny Mountains
Season 1 starts in the little-explored snow-covered lands beyond the Wall. There are forests, but most of the area is unexplored and covered with snow and ice.
The Russian Khibiny Mountains, a range on the Kola Peninsula, are indistinguishable in winter from the land of the "free folk" beyond the Wall. The Khibiny Mountains are estimated to be around 390 million years old. There are several glaciers here, off-piste freeride competitions are held in the mountains and the luckiest visitors can "catch" the Northern Lights.
3. The Wall – the Lena Pillars National Park in Yakutia
The northern Wall which separates the Seven Kingdoms from the Wildlings and the White Walkers could easily have been inspired by the Lena Pillars National Park in Yakutia.
In the series, the Wall is a giant ice rampart 200 meters high and hundreds of kilometers long, stretching from sea to sea. According to legend, it was built by the First Men aided by Giants. The Lena Pillars stretch for 40 kilometers along the River Lena but they are just as high – between 100 and 220 meters. This creation of nature, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, looks like a stone forest. Hundreds of millions of years ago, this was the bottom of the sea, but in the wake of the upward movement of the Siberian Platform caused by tectonic shifts, these limestone deposits became mountains.
The pillars look particularly picturesque in winter when they are covered with ice and snow – they stand over the river like giants. And, if you look at the bank of the river from the top of the ridge, the palisade of pillars resembles the tail of a dragon.
4. Palace at King's Landing – Swallow's Nest
King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms and adversary of the North, was shown in the first episode of the series. The majestic Red Keep, the residence of the ruling house, stands on a hill there: On one side of the fortress is a panoramic view of the city and, on the other, a cliff overlooking a river.
There is a similar location at Cape Ai-Todor in Crimea – the Neo-Gothic Swallow's Nest castle perched on top of a sheer 40-meter-high cliff. The romantically-designed building is like something out of a fairy tale. It is, however, smaller and more compact than its "twin" at King's Landing.
There are just four rooms, an entrance hall and a windowless stone kitchen with a glazed roof at the Swallow's Nest. It was originally built for a wealthy noble family, which lived in it for a while. But, after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the building was neglected and ended up housing various storerooms, reading rooms and restaurants.
5. Steppe on the way to Vaes Dothrak – the Kuzomenskiye Sands
On becoming khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen, along with her husband Khal Drogo and his horse-mounted army, traveled across many kilometers of steppe on the way to Vaes Dothrak, the sole city of the nomadic Dothraki tribes.
On the shores of the White Sea, next to a Pomor village, are the Kuzomenskiye Sands. They are also known as the Northern Desert. Around a century ago, tree felling and livestock grazing created an anthropogenic desert: Sand hollows and crescent-shaped and other types of dunes are formed there.
It is symbolic that the Kuzomenskiye Sands are popular with riders nowadays – albeit not horse riders, but quad bike and jeep drivers. Races across the dunes are a well-known pastime among locals and tourists.
6. The Tyrells' Highgarden Castle – Genoese Fortress
The Tyrells' Highgarden Castle, located in a densely-populated area in one of the wealthiest regions of the Seven Kingdoms, was regarded as perhaps the most beautiful in Westeros. It is situated on a river and the principal fortress is encircled by three rings of crenelated walls.
A comparison with the Genoese Fortress in Sudak, covering an area of 30 hectares, immediately comes to mind. Its first defensive structures were built in the 7th century by the Byzantines, after which the watchtowers were added. As a result, it became a mighty and almost impregnable fortification.
7. The Water Gardens palace in Dorne – the citadel of Naryn-Kala at Derbent
Further south in the Seven Kingdoms is Dorne – an area of deserts, hot winds and mountains. It is ruled by House Martell from their ancestral Sunspear Castle and their out-of-town residence at the Water Gardens. Located on raised ground, the latter is bounded by high walls that conceal tall towers and a labyrinthine succession of rooms.
The description of Dorne matches the Republic of Dagestan and the city of Derbent could have served as a suitably picturesque filming location. In the ancient city, perched on a high hill, is the Persian citadel of Naryn-Kala with mighty walls three meters thick and 20 meters high.
Built in the 6th century in a strategically important position on the Caspian Sea, the fortress has survived in good condition. It also has impressive baths, an underground reservoir, a spring and also the ruins of a palace and mosque. It really does look like a medieval fantasy!
8. The Iron Islands – Kamchatka seaboard
Fierce people and ruthless pirates live on the Iron Islands, which are governed by House Greyjoy. They inhabit a bay with turbulent waters and take advantage of frequent fog to attack unwary seafarers.
There are no less picturesque landscapes on the shores of Kamchatka. The eastern part of the peninsula has a large number of bays and inlets and the shore is lined with steep cliffs. The unique natural environment, thermal springs and beaches with black sand attract aficionados of atmospheric views.
9. Tower of Joy – the Vovnushki complex in Ingushetia
The round stone tower in the foothills of the Red Mountains was shown in Season 6. The building was named by Rhaegar Targaryen, who spent time here with his paramour Lyanna Stark. And it was there where she gave birth to Jon Snow.
The majestic building, exposed to winds from the Dornish Marches and the Prince's Pass, looks impressive in the series. But, the medieval Vovnushki complex in Ingushetia's Dzheyrakhsky District is no less awe-inspiring.
A group of defensive structures in the mountains, it consists of three towers: two on the summit of rocks and a third standing opposite them. The tall structures, of a truncated pyramidal form with narrow arrow-slit windows, are believed to have been built in the 17th-18th centuries.
They are located in a picturesque river gorge set against a background of mountain ridges. They instantly evoke tales of princesses, knightly tournaments and dragons.
10. The Dragons of Essos – the Zilant of Kazan
East of Westeros is the enormous continent of Essos where many dragons lived. At the start of 'Game of Thrones', they were believed to have died out – only giant skeletons and fossilized eggs appeared in the early seasons.
The Zilant – something between a dragon and a wyvern – is regarded as the "Kazan dragon". It features on the coat of arms of Kazan, on the main railway terminal and Admiralty Office buildings and in the local metro. And those who want to go on a "dragon hunt" should look out for sculptures of the Zilant in the local Millennium Park!
