Want to know all about the Mdina Game of Thrones locations? This post is all about Game of Thrones in Mdina, a small, walled city in the centre of Malta.
Malta is a very small island sitting to the south of Italy and just above Libya. It’s not the most popular island destination for a holiday but is really very lovely and well worth a visit. Especially if you’re a Game of Thrones fan.
It’s a well-known fact that some key Game of Thrones film locations can be found in Croatia and Dubrovnik, but did you know that there are lots of Game of Thrones filming locations in Malta too?
Yep, Malta is home to lots of Game of Thrones filming locations and this post is about Game of Thrones in Mdina.
And it’s not just Game of Thrones that used this beautiful island as a backdrop for its fantastical tale. Famous films like Troy, Gladiator, the Count of Monte Cristo, The Da Vinci Code and more also filmed some scenes in Malta.
Mdina Game of Thrones
There are two main Game of Thrones Season 1 locations to be found in Mdina.
Mdina Gate: Mdina Game of Thrones Location #1
The entrance to Mdina, Malta’s “Silent City”, is via a stone bridge over the city’s former moat. The bridge is flanked by two stone statues and leads up to a beautiful, tall gate, known as Mdina Gate or the Vilhena Gate.
It’s easy to imagine how this setting could be used in Game of Thrones and Mdina was used for a number of scenes in King’s Landing.
Mdina Gate is first seen in Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 3 (Lord Snow). Lady Catelyn Stark rides into King’s Landing along with Ser Rodrick Cassel in the hopes of finding her husband, Ned Stark.
As soon as they enter, they are met by two guards who demand that she comes with them. They lead her to Littlefinger’s brothel, located in Malta’s Mesquita Square (more below).
The gate is seen again later in the same episode when Lady Catelyn Stark says goodbye to her husband Ned. It’s a heartfelt goodbye but little do they know it’ll be the last time they ever meet!
Watch the Mdina Game of Thrones scenes at Mdina Gate:
Mesquita Square: Game of Thrones Mdina Location #2
Mesquita Square is just 2 minutes from Mdina Gate (it really is a very small town!) and there are some more Mdina Game of Thrones scenes here.
This square is first used when Littlefinger brings Ned Stark to see his wife who is hiding in his brothel.
The exterior of the brothel is in Mesquita Square so we see it a few times in Season 1 of Game of Thrones.
Another key Mdina Game of Thrones scene is in Season 1, Episode 5 (The Wolf and the Lion). In this episode, Jaime Lannister arrives to confront Ned Stark about the capture of his brother, Tyrion Lannister.
After confronting each other, Jaime draws his sword and his men rapidly kill all of Ned Stark’s men. Ned is the last man standing but soon he is gravely injured by one of Jaime’s soldiers.
Jaime leaves, riding out of the square on horseback, demanding that his brother be released soon.
Watch the Mdina Game of Thrones scene in Mesquita Square:
The streets of Mdina: Game of Thrones Malta Location #3
Mdina is one of those rare towns that has managed to retain its medieval charm. This is no doubt in part thanks to the fact that only residents can bring their cars into the city.
This makes the small, winding streets of Mdina perfect for filming historic film sequences. There are a few more Game of Thrones Malta scenes in the city of Mdina in Game of Thrones, including a scene in Season 1, Episode 4 (Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things).
In this episode, Ned follows Jon Arryn’s trial down some narrow streets, which eventually lead him to Gendry, the bastard son of King Robert Baratheon.
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That’s it for Game of Thrones in Mdina, but there are many more Game of Thrones locations to be discovered on the island of Malta!
If you liked this post, check out these other filming locations:
Harry Potter in Oxford
Harry Potter in Lacock
Godric’s Hollow Filming Location
Me Before You Paris Locations
Other Game of Thrones posts:
Game of Thrones S1 Review
Game of Thrones S2 Review
Laura
Editor of What’s Hot?
Richard Sorapure
Sunday 12th of September 2021
I enjoyed reading this. My father retired to Malta after leaving the Fleet Air Arm and he recommended my wife and our four children visit Medina (probably so he could enjoy a quiet day back home in Marsascala!). We were visiting from Singapore en route to the UK so very day was busy travelling around Malta, often in ancient buses. I have since been back on business and visited the pub in Valetta frequented by Oliver Reed (a pub in Archbishop Street). The locals say he got involved in a drinking bout with the navy, was taken ill and subsequently died on the way to hospital. There was a lot of ghoulish memorabilia in the pub as it had become a tourist attraction!