If you’re like us, and millions of others across the globe, you’ve probably spend the last few years intrigued by the passion, betrayal and epic battles in Game of Thrones. Some of the series’ most memorable scenes were filmed in Croatia, Malta, Spain and even some African locations. But did you know a large part of the series was filmed in Northern Ireland?
To showcase and celebrate Northern Ireland as Game of Thrones territory six stained-glass windows were installed across Belfast. Each window in the ‘Glass of Thrones’ legacy trail highlights a key House from the popular show, with a series of panels depicting the most exciting and talked-about moments from the entire saga.
We recently followed the 1.8-miles (2.9km) trail of epic battles, fire-breathing dragons, ice-blue white walkers and blood-red weddings, and found it to be a great way to discover the city.
“CLIMB AT YOUR OWN RISK FOR THE STEP IS STEEP AND FULL OF TERROR”
The trail starts opposite the main entrance of Belfast City Hall. The first ‘Glass of Thrones’ pays tribute to House Stark, one of the series’ dynasties, based in the harsh northern regions of the fictional Westeros. The window features scenes from the tragedy of the Red Wedding to the triumph in the Battle of the Bastards.
The second window sits in front of the Waterfront Hall and represents the trials and tribulations of House Lannister. These include Cersei’s shameful walk of atonement and Tyrion’s vengeance act of patricide.
The third glass window can be found near the Lagan Weir (the dam or barrier which controls the flow of water in the river Lagan). It is dedicated to the rise and fall of House Baratheon and shows everything from poison, magic and wild boar wrought regicides to the war-hammer wielding bastard of Flea Bottom.
The window in front of the SSE Arena is all about House Targaryen and shows everything from Daenerys’ dragon egg laden re-emergence from the funeral pyre, to Drogon’s fiery onslaught of the gold convoy.
The window beside the SS Nomadic at Hamilton Dock is all about the villainous and elusive White Walkers – complete with their eyes painted in striking glow-in-the-dark paint.
The White Walker exploits are captured in fiery colours: from Hodor’s final act of self-sacrifice to the Night King’s winged assault on The Wall itself.
“IF YOU FALL, NO ONE WILL BRING YOU BACK…”
The sixth ‘Glass of Thrones’ at the Titanic Studios represents the show’s iconic Iron Throne.
The Paint Hall of the Titanic Studios is where most of the interior shots were filmed in Belfast. The enormous hall was originally part of the Harland and Wolff shipyard where the RMS Titanic was built.
Having enjoyed a decade of the show’s characters fighting and dying over its ownership, it only took us a few hours to take our rightful place on the throne. After all, winter is coming…
