Churches in TV series

Among the many things "Game of Thrones" is known for, a key one is the show’s breath-taking filming locations in Croatia, Iceland, Morocco and Spain. The Cathedral of Girona inspired the design of the ‘Great Sept of Baelor Church’ in the fictional city of ‘King’s Landing. The construction of this outstanding cathedral began in the 11th century and continued until the 13th century, explaining the mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

The series "Peaky Blinders", based around a criminal gang from Birmingham, raised interest on the industrial north of England due to its elaborate aesthetics. Brick buildings appear alongside factories and austere Victorian churches. The main protagonist, Thomas Shelby, is often found in one of them, St. Chad's Church, built in 1868, which is actually located in Leeds.

The aptly named series "Dark", is set in a German village in the grip of worrying disappearances. A wooden church that appears at regular intervals embodies the gloomy atmosphere of this forest village. The ‘Friedhofskapelle’ is part of the southwestern cemetery in Stahnsdorf, near Berlin. Built between 1908 and 1911, this wooden chapel was inspired by Norwegian stave churches.

"Downton Abbey" is filmed in the imposing Highclere Castle, but the series also presents the rich heritage of Bampton (Oxfordshire) in some of its outdoor scenes. The charming church of St. Mary the Virgin of Bampton, which appears in the series, was built in the 10th or 11th century on the site of a late Anglo-Saxon cathedral from 950.

The BBC's produced series "Sherlock" takes its viewers into the nooks and crannies of London, but the show sometimes moves away from the capital, like in the episode of Dr. Watson's wedding, which takes place in the vicinity of Bristol, introducing us to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, a church that was probably deliberately chosen for its impeccable Victorian appearance.

"The young Pope" encountered a problem for his filming: the series is supposed to take place in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, a building that does not accept filming on the spot. Part of the Vatican backdrop was therefore built in the Cinecittà studios in Rome (as a 581,251 square foot replica of the Sistine Chapel), but other scenes from the interior of St. Peter's Basilica were shot in Santi Luca e Martina, a 13th-century church located in the Roman Forum.

The trans-temporal series "Doctor Who" has repeatedly highlighted British heritage, such as in the "Lazarus Experience" episode (2007) in which Wells Cathedral appears: Saint-André Cathedral, considered the most "poetic" in England, was built from 1180 to 1490, and it combines different trends in English Gothic architecture. In this episode, Wells cathedral replaces Southwark cathedral (London) where the plot is supposed to take place.

The Italian television series "Don Matteo" follows a Catholic priest conducting investigations in a picturesque village in Umbria. If the main venue of the series from the first to the eighth season was Gubbio, from the ninth season onwards, the series was transferred to Spoleto. The Church of St. Euphemia, probably built in the 10th century, is the setting for the "Church of Don Matteo".

BBC star series "Fleabag" takes us around the London district of Camden, around Dartmouth Park, a residential and green area of the vibrant capital. At the centre of the landscape, as well as the plot, is the Church of Christ, a 19th-century English Gothic building, located in Hampstead, in the same district of Camden.

"The Crown" relates the life of Elizabeth II with great attention to detail. The crowning of the monarch was a great challenge for the directors, given the fame of the moment. However, as convincing as the scene may be, the shooting did not take place at Westminster Abbey but in Ely Cathedral, built from 1083 to 1375.