Winter is coming

Game of Thrones

Intro

Game of Thrones filmed across Malta and Gozo for 37 days during the autumn of 2010, using the islands as the backdrop for much of Season 1. On Gozo, one scene stands above all others: the Dothraki wedding of Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo, filmed at Dwejra Bay with the Azure Window ,then one of the most photographed natural landmarks in the Mediterranean, rising dramatically behind the wedding feast.

It remains one of the most recognisable filming locations in the show’s history. The Azure Window itself collapsed into the sea in March 2017, but Dwejra Bay is still very much worth visiting, and Fungus Rock, the distinctive islet visible in several wedding scenes, still stands.

Synopsis

Game of Thrones follows nine noble families as they battle for control of the Iron Throne and the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy stirs beyond the kingdom’s northern border. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the series ran for eight seasons on HBO between 2011 and 2019 and became one of the most watched television programmes in history.

Malta and Gozo were used exclusively in Season 1, providing locations for King’s Landing, the Red Keep, and, on Gozo, the wedding of Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo.

Production Info

Released

2011

Directed

David Benioff
D.B. Weiss

Starring

Emilia Clarke
Iain Glen
Jason Momoa

More Info

FAQ

The Dothraki wedding between Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo was filmed at Dwejra Bay on the island of Gozo, Malta. The scene appears in Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter is Coming“, and features the Azure Window, a natural limestone arch, as its backdrop. The wedding feast, the gift of the three dragon eggs, and the arrival of Daenerys on her silver mare were all filmed at this location.

Yes , but only for Season 1, and specifically for the Dothraki wedding scene at Dwejra Bay. The wider Season 1 production used multiple locations across Malta, including Mdina, Rabat, Fort St. Angelo and Fort Ricasoli. From Season 2 onwards, production moved primarily to Croatia and Northern Ireland.

The Azure Window was a natural limestone arch at Dwejra Bay, Gozo. It appears in the background of the Dothraki wedding scene in Season 1, Episode 1. The arch collapsed during a storm in March 2017 and no longer exists above water, though its remains are visible on the seabed and now form part of a popular dive site.

Yes. Dwejra Bay is still accessible and well worth visiting. The Azure Window itself is gone, but Fungus Rock, the striking islet visible in several wedding scene shots, remains. The area around the Inland Sea and Blue Hole is one of Gozo’s most popular diving and snorkelling destinations, and the landscape retains much of the dramatic quality that made it such a compelling filming location.

Fungus Rock is a small islet at Dwejra Bay, Gozo, visible in the background of several Dothraki wedding scenes. It takes its name from a rare plant, the Maltese Fungus (Cynomorium coccineum), that grows on its surface and was once so prized by the Knights of St John that the rock was placed under armed guard. In the show, it appears as part of the Dothraki Sea coastline.

It isn’t, despite a claim that has been circulating on TikTok. The steps of the Cathedral of the Assumption inside the Citadel have been identified by some as a Game of Thrones location, but this is a misattribution. The show’s Gozo filming was confined to Dwejra Bay for the Dothraki wedding scene. The Citadel is a genuinely impressive 17th-century fortified city and absolutely worth a visit, it just has no Game of Thrones connection. If you’ve seen a video claiming otherwise, it’s one of those things that gets shared enough times to start feeling true.

Production moved on from Malta after Season 1, partly due to controversy over damage caused during the Dwejra filming. Sand brought in for the wedding scene seeped into the rock formation, and while subsequent environmental assessments found no lasting damage to the Azure Window or marine ecosystem, the controversy contributed to the decision to relocate production to Croatia and Northern Ireland for Season 2.

The Dothraki Wedding Scene

The wedding scene filmed at Dwejra is one of the most significant in the entire series. Set in the world of the show outside the Free City of Pentos, it establishes the terms of the alliance between Viserys Targaryen and Khal Drogo, and introduces Daenerys to the audience as a young woman being bartered into a marriage she has no say in.

The feast itself is elaborate: Dothraki warriors, dancers, bloodriders, and guests from Pentos fill the field beside the Azure Window from dawn to dusk. During the feast, Daenerys receives her bride gifts, including the three petrified dragon eggs from the Shadow Lands, gifted by Magister Illyrio Mopatis, that will define the rest of the series.

Ser Jorah Mormont is among the attendees, having already pledged his service to Viserys that same evening.

At Dwejra Bay, the production team dressed the area around the Azure Window and the shoreline below Fungus Rock as the Dothraki camp, with the arch providing the kind of otherworldly backdrop that would have been impossible to build on a set. It is one of the few Game of Thrones locations where the real landscape genuinely matches the scale of what was needed.

The Azure Window: Then and Now

For most of its existence, the Azure Window was simply one of Gozo’s most visited natural landmarks. A 28-metre limestone arch rising from the sea at Dwejra Bay, with a broad flat top and a perfectly framed view of the open Mediterranean beyond.

Game of Thrones was far from the only production to use it. The arch appeared in Clash of the Titans, Coronation Street, and numerous other films and TV shows over the decades, becoming one of the most recognisable natural filming locations in Europe.

On 8 March 2017, six years after Season 1 aired, the Azure Window collapsed during a storm. The arch, already weakened by years of erosion, gave way overnight. By morning, nothing remained above the waterline.

The loss was felt across Malta and Gozo, and internationally among fans of the show.

What’s there now

Dwejra Bay remains one of Gozo’s most dramatic coastal locations. The Inland Sea, a sheltered lagoon connected to the open water by a narrow cave tunnel, sits a short walk from where the arch stood. Fungus Rock is still there, and the Blue Hole dive site, immediately adjacent to where the Azure Window once stood, is now one of the best shore dives in the Mediterranean. The remains of the arch are visible on the seabed at around 15–20 metres.

For Game of Thrones fans visiting the location: Take the path from the car park towards the sea and walk down the small set of stairs. You’re now where the Dothraki wedding feast was filmed. Khal Drogo and Daenerys sat above this area, to your left as you look at the sea. If you glance to the right, you’ll sea where the Azure Window once stood.

Visiting Dwejra Bay

Getting there: Dwejra Bay is on the western coast of Gozo, near the village of San Lawrenz. By car it is approximately 15 minutes from Victoria. There is a car park at the site but parking can be difficult, explore your options with our guide on how to get around Gozo.

What to see: The Inland Sea, the Blue Hole dive site, Fungus Rock, and the platform where the Azure Window once stood. The area around the former arch is fenced off close to the edge.

Diving: The Blue Hole is a cylindrical rock formation that drops to around 12 metres before opening through an arch into open water. It is suitable for experienced divers and is one of the most visited dive sites in Malta. Several dive operators on Gozo offer guided dives here.

Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon for the best light and fewer visitors. The site can be very busy in summer.

Top Tip: If you are visiting specifically for the Game of Thrones connection, the image of Fungus Rock in the wedding scene is most closely matched from the rocks to the south of where the Azure Window stood. Bring a screenshot from the episode and you will find the angle quickly.

Game of Thrones Scenes on Gozo

Khal Drogo with Fungus Rock in the background.
Daenerys Targaryen sits holding a dragon egg beside Khal Drogo at Dwejra, Gozo, with rocky cliffs in the background.
Daenerys with Fungus Rock in the background.
The bustling Dothraki camp set at Dwejra, Gozo, with the Azure Window in the background, featured in Game of Thrones.
Ser Mormont presents himself at the wedding feast.
Khal and Daenerys leave their wedding feast, with the Azure Window in the background.

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Game of Thrones Locations Map

Did you Know

The Azure Window had been a backdrop to Gozo’s cinematic story long before Game of Thrones arrived. It appeared in Clash of the Titans (1981) and even a Coronation Street location shoot in 2007, among many other productions. The arch collapsed in March 2017, six years after the Dothraki wedding scene aired in Season 1, Episode 1, during a severe storm that finally overcame centuries of coastal erosion. It had been a protected national monument, but the sea is not much concerned with designations.

🎬 Discover More Gozo On Screen

Loved learning about this production? Gozo’s cinematic story doesn’t have to end here! Explore more films and TV shows shot on the island, uncover behind-the-scenes secrets, and plan your own set-jetting adventure with our in-depth guides.

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