where was season 2 game of thrones filmed
Game of Thrones (season 2) For the second season, the city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, was used instead of Malta for scenes in King's Landing and Daenerys' scenes in Qarth.[42] For example, the Minčeta Tower in Dubrovnik was used as the House of the Undying. Scenes set north of the Wall were filmed in Iceland in November 2011. The main locations are the Vatnajökull glacier,[43] the Svínafellsjökull glacier near Skaftafell, and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier near Vik used as the location for the Fist of the First Men with Höfðabrekka as the Frostfang Mountains.[44][45][46] New shooting locations in Northern Ireland include The Linen Mill Film & Television Studios in Banbridge, Ballintoy Harbour[47] and Downhill Strand. As the story in the second season required that the Winterfell set be expanded, a new set for Winterfell was built at the Moneyglass Estate near Toome village.[48]
Game of Thrones (season 1) Most scenes were shot in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland border counties. Principal photography was scheduled to begin on July 26, 2010,[55] with the primary studio location being the Paint Hall Studio in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast, Northern Ireland.[56] Among various locations for the initial shooting of the pilot in 2009,[51] Doune Castle in central Scotland was used as the location for Winterfell,[57] including scenes at its great hall (the great hall was later recreated in a soundstage in Northern Ireland).[58] Additional filming locations included Cairncastle at Larne,[59] Shane's Castle,[60] and Tollymore Forest Park,[60] all in Northern Ireland. In the 2010 shooting of the series, Castle Ward was used as Winterfell instead of Doune Castle,[61] with Cairncastle for some exterior Winterfell scenes. The set for Castle Black was built at Magheramorne quarry.[62][63] The show's presence in Northern Ireland and use of Paint Hall created hundreds of jobs for residents, and made the area "a hub for film and television production".[64]