Following Game of Thrones: Girona Cathedral

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

One of the main architectural sights of Spain can definitely be called the Cathedral of Girona. A bizarre combination of Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque and Arabic culture make this place attractive to tourists. The shooting of the cult TV series "Game of Thrones", which took place here in the second half of 2015, became the last straw in the popularity of the cathedral and the whole town.

In the article, the reader will find a lot of interesting information about the Cathedral of St. Mary, about the town of Girona and, of course, about the filming of the Game of Thrones, which made this place a Mecca for fans of the series.

Where is Girona Cathedral

The small town of Girona, located 30 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, in the north-eastern part of Catalonia, is considered one of the most popular places in Spain. The airport is located 10 kilometers from the city. The population of the city, numbering about 100 thousand people, lives a quiet and peaceful life, giving the impression of a real medieval city.

The main attraction of the town is Girona Cathedral, located in the historic center of the settlement betweentwo parks - Parc de la Devesa and Paseo Archeologic.

The attraction is located on the cathedral square on the east bank of the river. You can go to the other side with the help of footbridges. There is a railway near the cathedral.

The exact geographic coordinates of Girona Cathedral are 41.987284, 2.824555. You can also get to the place by taxi or with a sightseeing tour. By the way, tourism in the city is very developed and there is even its own Association of Girona guides.

It is not necessary to go to Spain to visit the cathedral. The administration maintains a chic official website that allows you to take a virtual walk through the Girona Cathedral. The visitor can choose a description of the walk in a suitable language. In addition, to the appropriate sound accompaniment, the visitor of the resource has a unique opportunity to look into the treasury of one of the most interesting and beautiful places in the world, look through the library, delve into the historical chronicles stored here.

Near the Cathedral of Girona, in the northwest, there is another ancient attraction - the Basilica of St. Felix.

To the north are the famous Arab baths, which also became the filming location for one of the episodes of Game of Thrones.

Why is the cathedral called a cathedral

The adjective "cathedral" is deeply rooted in history. One of the meanings of the Latin word "pulpit" means "throne", "throne". This throne was intended for the highest clergyman in the state, for example,bishop. The priest could move around the region and visit several temples. Cathedrals that had a throne were called cathedral churches.

History and sights of the cathedral

Girona Cathedral has a long history. The first mention of an architectural structure goes back to the period of early Christianity and reports a certain sanctuary.

In the VIII century, the Muslims, who captured the territory of modern Catalonia, erected a mosque on the site of the sanctuary. The Carolingian dynasty, the Frankish kings, conquered Iberia in the 8th-9th centuries and restored the temple.

The main part of the structure was built from the 13th to the 16th centuries and has survived in its original form to our time. You can see a lot of interesting things in the cathedral.

An exciting sight is the nave of the cathedral - a rectangular elongated part of the temple, intended for the stay of parishioners. On the official website of the cathedral, the administration proudly announces that the nave of St. Mary's Cathedral is the largest in the world.

A mesmerizing sight is the main altar of white marble, designed for worship.

Be sure to visit the chapel and the inner courtyard of the temple.

Stained glass windows look very nice.

The bell tower, crowned with a statue of an angel, is considered one of the most interesting places of the Girona Cathedral. The photo is not able to convey even a tenth of the splendor of this building.

Game of Thrones filming

In 2015, an HBO film crew came to town to shoot the 6th season of the popular series. Since that moment, the already high attendance of the Girona Cathedral has greatly increased. Game of Thrones contains several unique episodes filmed in this amazing location. The cathedral itself was transformed into the sept of Baelor for the duration of filming.

Jaime Lannister rode up the famous 90 steps leading to the cathedral, trying to save young Margaery Tyrell from His Sparrow's judgment.

In the historic center of the city, Arya Stark, who lost her sight in the Temple of the Faceless, was attacked by a nameless girl.

If cities acted in films on a par with actors, then Girona would get one of the main roles.