With House of the Dragon airing in full swing on HBO, everyone seems to be getting Game of Thrones fever once more and we had the likelihood to expertise the final Game of Thrones studio tour. There is not any higher place in the world than Northern Ireland to discover the world of the Seven Kingdoms. During our most up-to-date journey to Northern Ireland, we visited the precise studios the place Game of Thrones was filmed and walked by way of interactive units, sat on the Iron Throne and tried our hand at creating our personal white walkers utilizing CGI.
Linen Mills Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland has been reworked from a working movie studio to an immersive expertise the place you stroll by way of the realms seeing how the units have been created, costumes designed and weapons cast. Whether you’re a Game of Thrones fan or not, that is an incredible day journey from Belfast or Dublin to expertise the behind-the-scenes magic and what it takes to create one of the most profitable collection of all time.
Game of Thrones Studio Tour
Located simply half-hour from Belfast and 90 minutes from Dublin, Linen Mills Studios was the predominant movie studio for the HBO Series, The Game of Thrones. It was in these studios that John Snow was murdered by his personal males, that Jamie and Cersei Lannister plotted their revenge to beat the seven kingdoms, and the place they ultimately met their demise.
The most profitable collection in the world might have ended, however House of the Dragon is simply starting. If you’re a fan of the collection, you received’t need to miss this immersive expertise.
Ultimate Game of Thrones Studio Tour
The studio tour at Linen Mills Studios was created in partnership with Warner Bros and is the solely everlasting formally licensed Game of Thrones expertise on the market. Book your tickets prematurely at their web site
With Northern Ireland being the predominant movie web site for Game of Thrones, it’s becoming to have the finest Game of Thrones expertise in the world located proper right here.
Behind the Scenes of the World’s Most Successful Series
The Game of Thrones Studio tour invitations followers and film buffs to Linen Mill Studios, the precise filming location of Game of Thrones. The studio is situated simply 40 minutes from Belfast and 90 minutes from Dublin making it the good day journey for movie and television buffs to find the world of Westeros. Visitors are transported to the seven kingdoms for a behind-the-scenes take a look at the magic of film-making.
True followers of the world hit television collection will acknowledge each element proper right down to the notorious cup of espresso that confirmed up in the closing season together with different hidden moments from memorable scenes.
This Game of Thrones studio tour was made to move followers to discover precise filming areas at the web site of the studio that introduced the seven kingdoms from King’s Landing, The Nights Watch, and Dragonfell to life. See extra Northern Ireland GOT areas at A Game of Thrones Tour of Northern Ireland
The expansive assortment consists of genuine units from the Night’s Watch the place Jon Snow was introduced again to life by the Red Witch to the ruined throne room and the spectacular Map Room at Kings Landing. But there’s a lot extra to it than simply units. Read on to search out out every little thing you’ll expertise at this one-of-a-variety attraction.
The Experience
It is a uncommon factor to discover an genuine filming location of any blockbuster present but the Game of Thrones Studio tour not solely takes you thru the precise units from the collection but in addition showcases its expansive assortment of costumes, weapons, unique props, and iconic units throughout your self-guided tour.
Take a journey by way of the complete filming course of to see the creator’s imaginative and prescient from the starting. The tour begins by setting the tone with a robust movie constructing anticipation earlier than the doorways open to a wall of smoke and dry ice transporting you past the wall to the land of giants and wildlings.
Day Players as Guides
What we cherished most was being advised tales of the expertise by precise day gamers and common background performers. People who really fought in the nice battles and rubbed elbows with Kit Harrington, Peter Dinklage, and Emilia Clark advised us tales of their days on units, private experiences, and what the filming of Game of Thrones was really like. Some of them went to work sooner or later and ended up staying on the collection for 5 years as common extras.
Things to See on the Game of Thrones Studio Tour
We have been giddy with pleasure as we entered the studio. The temper was set with dry ice and imposing music as we walked by way of the doorways to find the location past the wall. Wildlings stood as centries both welcoming us or warning us as we stepped into their nation. See what different international locations Game of Thrones was filmed in at Game of Thrones Filming Locations You Can Visit in Real Life
Great Hall at Winterfell
Stand in the place the place Little Finger was executed by Ayria and the place the Starks welcomed many a visitor into their dwelling. This is one of the most spectacular set items however there are a number of all through the studio tour that you’ll stroll by way of and be utterly immersed in.
Hall of Faces
Our favourite room on the Game of Thrones Studio Tour was the Hall of Faces. This was one of the creepiest units of the collection and it positively felt like we had been immersed in the expertise. We even had the likelihood to place our personal faces on the partitions. These spectacular rooms have been a spotlight of our time in the studios because it actually captured what we watched on the display screen.
Map Room
I discovered this room to be one of the most spectacular rooms on the studio tour. I’ve vivid reminiscences of watching Cersei plot her invasions and plan to take over the seven kingdoms on this lovely room. The distinction of her evilness with the magnificence of this room was not misplaced on me.
Crypts of Winterfell
No Game of Thrones tour could be full with out visiting the Crypts of Winterfell. They have been featured since approach again in Season 1 and are the true coronary heart of the Starks. Key moments all through the collection have taken place in these halls and you may really feel the weight of the Starks as you stand amongst their statues.
Ruined Throne Room at Kings Landing
There is little doubt that the star attraction is the final of the rooms to discover in your tour. After an incredible journey by way of the world of the seven kingdoms, it ends at the ruined Throne Room. See the iron throne at King’s Landing after it was scorched by dragons after Daenerys Targaryen assaults Kings Landing.
Mannequins of Jon and Daenerys stand in heart stage and you may virtually really feel the pressure in the air as she is about to satisfy her destiny.
Iron Throne
Don’t fear, after visiting the studios, there’s yet another set piece to entry. It is time to take a seat on the Iron Throne and take your memento dwelling with you. This is the precise Iron Throne, everybody! The complete collection was about getting on that throne and also you get to easily sit on it and make your declare and drive everybody to bend the knee.
It was a spotlight of our journey and you need to ensure to buy a duplicate. We had a whole photograph shoot pretending we have been on location filming our personal scenes from the collection.
Visual Effects Studio
A go to to Linen Mills Studios doesn’t solely give attention to units and recreations of pivotal scenes, it additionally helps you to uncover the course of from the present’s earliest ideas in design and visible results. See hand-drawn sketches of costumes, learn the way their visible results have been delivered to life, and see how they have been carried out to create these jaw-dropping closing cuts.
Costumes and Make Up
Throughout the tour, mannequins are standing in precise costumes from the collection. One of the guides situated all through the settings identified the intricate particulars created in each costume. Nothing was ever unnoticed with every costume design, prosthetic, and set piece created with good element.
The creature results have been additionally spectacular to see. The make up division had its hand full creating creatures from white walkers and giants to coping with all that blood and gore all through its 8 season run. As a former make-up artist in the TV trade, I discovered this exhibit fascinating.
Interactive Displays
During your go to, you have got a number of probabilities to strive your hand at creating and having fun with interactive leisure. You can create your personal sigil, see how white walkers got here to life, and make them dance. After that, decide up an arrow and take down as many white walkers as you’ll be able to, or chill out in entrance of the make-up mirror to create your personal visible results.
Armory
I discovered the armory to be fascinating. We checked out precise props of 1000’s of spears and swords utilized by extras. But additionally they had the precise weapons utilized by the stars. See Ayria’s sword needle, The crossbow Tyrion used to kill his father, and Ned Stark’s Valyrian metal sword.
How to Get to Linen Mill Studios
Linen Mills is situated between Belfast and Dublin near the border of Ireland. We drove to Linen Mills studios from Dublin en path to Belfast as we crossed into Northern Ireland, it was the good cease if you’re planning a street journey between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Linen Mills Studios is simply 40 minutes from Belfast and 90 minutes from Dublin.
With its central location, it will possibly simply be visited from both metropolis. Here is its location on Google Maps.
Game of Thrones Studio Tour Parking
Chances are you’ll be driving to the studio when you didn’t guide a day tour. You can’t park at the studio however tickets to the studio tour embody parking at a location off-web site at the studio tour automobile park on The Boulevard Banbridge. Guests arriving by automobile or self-drive, can’t park onsite however as a substitute should take a shuttle bus from the Boulevard Banbridge studio tour automobile park. To discover the automobile park, search for The Boulevard Banbridge on Google Maps. You can discover the coordinates right here.
Tickets are priced from £39.50 for adults with one free baby ages 5-15. per baby or household tickets for 2 Adults and a couple of Free Children
Other Places to See Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland was used for many filming websites all through the complete run of the collection. Visitors to Northern Ireland can plan a whole journey round the collection and nonetheless handle to see all of the prime historic websites and points of interest in each Belfast and Northern Ireland. From
Belfast
Belfast Titanic Studios was one other GOT filming location however it isn’t open to the public. This studio continues to be a working studio, however it’s cool to catch a glimpse of one other iconic location. It can be the spot the place the Glass of Thrones takes place.
Titanic Studios is situated subsequent to Titanic Belfast, so after you have got explored the museums to be taught all about the unwell-fated journey, stroll alongside the Titanic Slipways to see the studios and the giant cranes which can be the image of Belfast. Read extra Best Things to do in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Glass of Thrones
After our studio tour, the Glass of Thrones was the good complement. We took a stroll from Belfast City Hall to the Titanic Slipways exploring not solely the metropolis’s lovely waterfront however 6 stained glass creations of pivotal moments from the collection. Each work of artwork represents pivotal scenes from the Game of Thrones representing The Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, Targaryens, White Walkers, and the Iron Throne
Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges continues to be one of our favourite locations to go to in Northern Ireland not solely for its magnificence however for its memorable scene from season 1. The Dark Hedges was the location for The Kings Road and was a memorable scene the place Arya Stark was placed on a wagon and despatched away to make her escape from Kings Landing in season 2. Read extra: The Dark Hedges of Northern Ireland – Tips to Visit and What you Need to Know
Game of Thrones from Belfast – This tour not solely takes you to iconic GoT areas, nevertheless it additionally stops at the legendary Giant’s Causeway, Dark Hedges, Glens of Antrim, Cushenden Caves, Ballintoy Harbour, and extra!
Cushendun Caves
Cushendun Caves have been utilized in season two of Storm’s End in Stormlands. It was right here the place that Davos and Melisandre landed and the place Melisandre gave beginning. You can go to this on a street journey. Park in the automobile park close to the seashore and stroll to the caves. They have been used once more in season 8 when Jaime Lannister fought Euron Greyjoy as Kings Landing was being destroyed by dragons.
Ballantoy Harbour
Ballantoy Harbour is a Game of Thrones setting the place Theon first arrived dwelling to the Iron Islands and meets his sister. The crew reworked the setting harbor right into a bustling harbor crammed with boats and dock staff.
Mussenden Temple
Here is Dragonstone Castle stands the place Melisandre, aka The Red Woman, burns the Statues of “The Seven” to make Stannis convert to her faith.
Castle Ward – Winterfell
By far, our most memorable immersion in the seven kingdoms was at Castle Ward, situated in County Down, Northern Ireland. We stepped into Winterfell the place we donned fur cloaks and tried our hand at archery, simply as Bran did in season one as Ned Stark regarded on.
Located simply 45 minutes from the Game of Thrones Studio in Banbridge, this is a wonderful addition to your Northern Ireland GOT expertise.
Book a Game of Thrones Day Tour to Castle Ward – It takes you from Belfast to twenty Game of Thrones filming areas: that includes, Tollymore forest park the place the dire wolf pups have been found, Castle Ward Estate, and Inch Abbey the place Rob Stark was topped King of the North.
Visiting Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge was a spotlight of all our journeys to Northern Ireland and Ireland. This was one of the finest interactive museums now we have ever visited and now that we’ve seen what Warner Bros has executed with GOT, we stay up for visiting the Harry Potter studios in London as we hear this studio tour modeled itself after that different epic collection that we cherished.
If you might be visiting Dublin or Belfast, ensure so as to add this tour to your checklist. Especially if you’re a fan of the collection or planning to look at House of the Dragon. See our full breakdown at A Game of Thrones Tour of Northern Ireland
Tickets should be booked prematurely, you’ll be able to reserve tickets on their web site. We advocate spending at the very least 3 hours at the studios. We might have truthfully used one other hour and for followers wherever from 3-5 hours. That will provide you with the likelihood to actually absorb all the reveals. There is a store to purchase memorabilia and a restaurant for meals and drinks.
To say we loved our time at Linen Mills is an understatement. We had three hours to go to the genuine filming location and it wasn’t sufficient. As followers of the collection, we might have spent the complete day right here studying every bit of data from sketches of the collection’ earliest ideas to how they created these jaw-dropping closing cuts.
It’s one of the most wonderful excursions now we have ever taken and whereas we had about three hours to discover the many movie units, interactive reveals, and showcase of rooms, we might have spent all day.
Our journey to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour was courtesy of Tourism Ireland.
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