Take 01
2011
Game of Thrones (Season 1)
King's Landing — Mdina Gate, Pjazza Mesquita, narrow medieval streets
35.8860°N, 14.4031°E
Mdina
Film inside the Silent City — Malta's medieval walled hilltop capital, used as Game of Thrones' original King's Landing — with full local production support.
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Scene 01 — Filmed Here
Notable Productions in Mdina
Take 02
2002
The Count of Monte Cristo
Mdina streets and bastions doubling for 19th-century European settings
Take 03
1988
Black Eagle
Medieval architecture and palace courtyards
Take 04
2009
Agora
Period exteriors of stone alleys and limestone palazzos
Scene 02 — Locations
Filming Locations in Mdina
From landmark monuments to hidden quarters — every district scouted and permit-mapped.
landmark
Mdina Gate & Main Bridge
Baroque 1724 gate over a stone moat. The instantly recognisable King's Landing entrance from Game of Thrones Season 1. Limestone, lions, and a perfect symmetrical approach.
Pjazza Mesquita
Tiny medieval square — used in Game of Thrones as Littlefinger's brothel exterior. Single tree, stone walls, oratory door. Highly compositional.
Easy
Villegaignon Street
Mdina's main pedestrian spine connecting the gate to the cathedral. Norman palace facades, Vilhena Palace, balconies, and limestone underfoot.
Easy
St Paul's Cathedral
Baroque cathedral by Lorenzo Gafà (1697-1702). Twin bell towers, stunning marble interior, and a Caravaggio-school painting cycle. Dominates central Mdina square.
Complex
Bastion Square & City Walls
Elevated walking platform along Mdina's medieval walls. Panoramic views across central Malta with Mosta Dome visible. Featured in many establishing shots.
Easy
Vilhena Palace & Magisterial Buildings
Baroque palazzo (now National Museum of Natural History) with grand symmetrical facade and inner courtyards. Used in Game of Thrones interior reverses.
Moderate
Rabat (Outside the Walls)
Adjacent town with St Paul's Catacombs, Roman Domus mosaics, and broader streets for crew base camps and equipment staging.
Scene 03 — The Case for Mdina
Why Film in Mdina
- ✓ 40% cash rebate on qualifying spend (one of the world's highest)
- ✓ Game of Thrones legacy — instantly recognisable medieval setting
- ✓ Vehicle-restricted city means naturally clean shots and quiet sound recording
- ✓ 4,000 years of architectural layers in a 0.4 km² walled footprint
- ✓ English-speaking crews experienced with HBO, Netflix, and feature work
- ✓ 15 minutes from Malta Film Studios water tanks; 25 minutes from Valletta
Scene 04 — Logistics
Transport & Logistics
Airports MLA (11km / 20 min) ▼
Malta International Airport (MLA) — 11km / 20 min
Bus 201/202 (40 min)Taxi (~€25)Private transferRideshare (Bolt, eCabs)
Local Transit bus · taxi · horse-carriage ▼
bus
Routes 51, 52, 53 from Valletta and 201/202 from the airport stop at Rabat, just outside Mdina's walls.
Crew tip: Last buses around 11pm — plan night-shoot wraps with private transport.
taxi
Taxi rank at Rabat (Saqqajja Square) just outside Mdina Gate. Apps eCabs and Bolt fully cover the area.
Crew tip: Vehicles cannot enter Mdina — drop at the gate, ferry equipment in by hand or cleared service vehicle.
horse-carriage
Traditional karozzini operate from outside Mdina Gate — useful for period dressing or background interest.
Crew tip: Coordinate with operators if filming carriages on-screen.
Production Parking moderate · Permits required
▼
Free parking lots in Rabat (Howard Gardens area) and Saqqajja Square just outside Mdina Gate. No vehicles inside the walls except residents and emergency.
Production base camps and trucks stage in Rabat (Howard Gardens). Crew and small equipment cleared into Mdina via Malta Film Commission liaison with Local Council.
Getting Between Locations ▼
Inside Mdina, every location is within a 5-minute walk. Rabat (just outside the gate) holds catacombs, Roman Domus, and crew base areas. Valletta is 25 minutes by road, Malta Film Studios 15 minutes, Gozo 1.5 hours including ferry.
Ready?
Plan Your Mdina Shoot
From permits and crew to equipment and logistics — we handle everything on the ground so you can focus on capturing the Silent City.