Game of Thrones transforms Vila Dalmacija in preparation for season 5 filming

Vila Dalmacija

We recently learned that Vila Dalmacija, a historic villa located on the coast of Marjan Hill in Split, had been added to the list of new locations for Season 5. Courtesy of Split.com.hr we now have a first look at some of the changes that have been made, as the villa transforms into a Game of Thrones set.

The backside of the villa has been painted yellow, with a facade of brickwork and carved archways painted over top.

Vila Dalmacija

A number of horticultural accents have also been placed, with some additional potted plants waiting nearby.

Vila Dalmacija

The final new addition to the surroundings is a large blue platform that was spotted floating in the bay, which may help to aid filming along the shore.

Vila Dalmacija

Vila Dalmacija

With these changes it’s looking very likely that this new location will represent either Dorne or Pentos.

Overhead view of Vila Dalmacija
Overhead view of Vila Dalmacija

Blaire: Many thanks to The_Rabbit01 for the tip!

38 Comments

  1. The link to split.com.hr (btw, I would spell it like this not “Split.Com.Hr”, like in the post, looks strange) produces a 404 “page not found” error.

  2. Let’s hope we get a Roger Allam confirmation sometime soon then.

    EDIT: BTW, if Dinklage still has a beard at the Emmys, doesn’t that mean (since he’s been to Belfast and presumably shot there) that Tyrion will have a beard for at least part of s5?

  3. A nice garden, probably with some nice mushrooms.

    Mushrooms. Kissed with garlic and bathed in butter. I am told the taste is exquisit. Have one, my friend. Have two.

  4. Greenjones,
    I was thinking the same thing while watching him do the ice bucket challenge. He’s on the run in disguise, the more hidden his face is the better. And he’s living rough so the beard makes sense. I can’t wait to see Varys disguised too. We’re so used to him being in silk robes.

  5. It looks too lush for Dorne. If this was Dorne, it’d have to be the Water Gardens, but they’re already going all the way to Spain to film that.

    So I’m going to be cautiously optimistic about this being Pentos.

  6. I’m going to have to agree that this is probably Pentos. It just doesn’t look like Dorne to me.

  7. Greenjones,

    Do you guys really think we are gonna see her bald? I’ve always thought that they would do the same they did with dany in season 1 and keep the hair. Mabye a messy wig but still, hair. But who knows?

    Oh and I must say this set doesn’t look very GOTy yet, but they probaby need to finish some details. And I agree it is likely it is Pentos, it would probably seem very off as Dorne compared to the spain locations.

  8. Greenjones,

    I agree, this is different from the Dany thing. With Dany, it had little emotional impact, it was more of a matter-of-fact detail. The Walk of Shame thing was about stripping her bare to humiliate her, including her beautiful Lannister hair (which is her trademark look on the show). If this event changes Cersei as much as is implied in ADWD, this could be an opportunity for got to give the new Cersei a new look (for season 6, mostly) to accentuate her character development.
  9. jentario,

    I agree, the impact it has is quite important, I’m just not 100% convinced it would translate well to screen, but in D&D we trust (sometimes 😉 ).

  10. Illyrio’s pad does it for me too – the whole place has strong echoes of the S1 location used on Malta

  11. Looking at the Pentos scenes in S1E1, this place looks VERY much like Illyrio’s palace. Also with the stairs and the view of the sea. Definitely Pentos. Also, do we know when filming will take place here? Since Roger Allam is starring in a play from September 25th-November 1.

    EDIT: Ok, the original article says filming in Split will complete the week before the 25th of september, so that should be ok.

  12. Yo, that’s Illyrio’s manse.

    I’m super worried about the rumors that

    Cersei’s Walk of Penance is not receiving the necessary filming permits. That scene is so huge and important, not being able to film it properly could really take away from the scene.
    It’s even more ridiculous that the church opposing the filming, isn’t even on the route that will be used and the scene is not even remotely sexual.

    Ahh, religion.

  13. I hope that’s not a finished set (the first two photos). It looks like the kind of awfully kitschy modern villa that a South American drug lord might live in. There’s nothing of the Middle Ages about it at all. I find the positive comments to be surprising…

    On the bright side, I think it highly unlikely that it’s a finished set.

  14. ArgonathofBraavos:
    I hope that’s not a finished set (the first two photos). It looks like the kind of awfully kitschy modern villa that a South American drug lord might live in. There’s nothing of the Middle Ages about it at all. I find the positive comments to be surprising…

    On the bright side, I think it highly unlikely that it’s a finished set.

    Or a dictator. It was one of Tito’s residences.

  15. Leaf,
    So do you think they’re gonna cut the Blackfish for season 5 (or possibly from here on out)? He has some great lines in AFFC.

  16. jentario,

    I doubt the walk of shame will happen. Lena Heady must have an iron clad no nudity clause. She never shows any skin on the show. She’s fully dressed in all her sex scenes.

  17. johnny,

    She’s always fully clothed because of the walk of shame. The viewers will see Cersei nude for the first time (well, all those who didn’t watch 300) on the Walk of Shame and that will make the impact all the greater (her words I believe).

  18. I think Lena has the cojones to shave her head. Just think how powerful that scene would be to actually watch that happen to her. She seems like the type of person that would say “F*** it! Shave it off!!” 🙂 She loves her character, she’s stated that before, so I’m willing to bet she’ll do it. GO LENA!

    Also I don’t think they’d cut the walk of shame because some church disapproves. They obviously have the capacity to use digital help for the scene if need be.

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