Way back in 2020, during the filming of Season 1, The Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins posted a photo of Josha Stradowski perched on a misty cliffside in Slovenia. This was one of our first official glimpses of a filming location, which we discovered — after a lot of trawling through social media and virtually driving in Google Streetview — was the Mangart Saddle in Slovenia’s Julian Alps. Ever since, we’ve continued to enjoy sleuthing out locations that will appear in the next season, whether it’s an old church in a Czechian village or a pristine sandy beach in Morocco. Here’s a summary of what we know about where the show filmed its third season. This article will contain minor spoilers for Book 4, The Shadow Rising.
Prague: Home Sweet Home
From the beginning, the show has based its operations in Prague, Czechia. It’s here that the massive 344,000 square foot (32,000 sqm) Jordan Studios can be found, which has multiple sound stages as well as production offices, and a backlot that houses the Tar Valon exterior set. The production has also made heavy use of the nearby Barrandov Studios, where it constructed the sprawling outdoor Cairhien set for season 2. The Cairhien set was disassembled prior to season 3’s filming, and a new set built. We speculate this is the Tanchico exterior set, as we know it will appear this season based on comments from Rafe Judkins at NYCC in 2023. Finally, the production has continued to lease a sound stage in Třeboradice which it has previously used for White Tower scenes, specifically, the Hall of the Tower; we think it’s safe to assume that’s how it will be used for season 3 as well.
Czechia: The Heart of Production
As with the past two seasons, the production filmed in a variety of interior and exterior locations around Czechia. Near the small village of Tetín, tucked into an old quarry, is the exterior set for the Two Rivers. Much like the Dragon who called it home, this set was born, and reborn, as the poor Two Rivers just keeps getting turned into rubble. This most recent build included additional details like fences and a watchtower. The production leased additional fields and forested area nearby, perhaps to expand on the battle sequences, and built another Waygate. Season 3 filmed extensively in this area, including multiple night shoots, which should come as no surprise to those familiar with a major story arc in The Shadow Rising.
The production returned to several areas where it filmed in prior seasons, namely the municipalities of Srbsko, Vinařice, and Dobříš. Filming details for these locations are unknown, but it’s likely the scenes here were exterior scenes (such as Liandrin chasing down the male channeler in season 1, which was filmed at a quarry near Srbsko).
The show filmed in a few new Czech locations as well: Vranov nad Dyjí, the castle where Olivia Williams and Shohreh Agdashloo were spotted on an interior set, Roztoky u Křivoklátu, Toušice, and Tocnik Castle (unconfirmed). Details of these are also sparse, although Nuno Lopes appears to have filmed at Tocnik Castle.
Slovenia: Mountain Home
Most of the exterior Two Rivers shots in season 1, excluding the village proper, were filmed in Slovenia, across a series of stunning landscapes befitting of the title “mountain home.” The production returned to many of the same locations for season 3, including the Soča Valley. Again, given the amount of screen time we’d expect to see in the Two Rivers this season, this doesn’t come as a surprise. While most of the action will likely happen in the Two Rivers, we’re glad to see there will be at least some scenic shots of the surrounding area.
South Africa: Into the Three-fold Land
Finally, as with season 2 in Morocco, the production spent a significant amount of time filming in various locations around South Africa. While we don’t have a lot of information about the filming that occurred here, we do know that the production built several sets at the Cape Town Film Studios, which we speculate are interior sets connected with the Aiel Waste such as Cold Rocks Hold and Rhuidean. Filming also occurred in the mountains of the Western Cape, the Atlantis Dunes, the Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument, and in the Northern Cape near Vioolsdrif. Many of these areas are quite arid and mountainous, perfect for the harsh world of the Aiel Waste.
What Might Be?
Based on the events of season 2, plus numerous prior comments from showrunner Rafe Judkins, season 3 is shaping up to be primarily adapting The Shadow Rising. The series’ fourth installment is such a densely packed book that some plots and locations will certainly be cut, reshuffled, or condensed. However, we do have many confirmed locations from the book that will be making an appearance: Two Rivers village and surroundings, Tanchico, Tar Valon and the White Tower, the Caemlyn throne room, the Aiel Waste, Rhuidean, Cold Rocks Hold, and the Age of Legends (including but not limited to Paaran Disen). Perhaps the most notable book location missing from this list is the Stone of Tear; it remains to be seen whether it will make an appearance later, have its functions served by another location, or be cut completely.
Production designer Ondřej Nekvasil returns for season 3. He describes his responsibility as essentially everything we see in front of the camera other than the actors. He and his team have consistently designed unique and layered sets for every part of the show, and we can’t wait to see how his creative design expands to new frontiers such as Tanchico, the world of the Aiel, and the futuristic Age of Legends. For more insight into his creative process and his experience with The Wheel of Time, check out his interview with The Road to Tar Valon’s podcast.
What location are you most looking forward to seeing in this season? Is there still a chance we see the Stone of Tear in season 3? Let us know!
I'm a longtime SFF fan but Wheel of Time will always be my first love. I want to call myself Green Ajah, but--let's be real--I'm probably a Brown. In my spare time I enjoy cooking, writing, and getting lost in the wilderness.
Great article as usual and I’m probably just missing it but where were the locations they used for Tanchico?
It appears they filmed most Tanchico content either on a sound stage (interior set) or on the exterior set at Barrandov Studios. They may have filmed some Tanchico scenes in South Africa, too, but that’s more speculative.
Fantastic article! Thank you for the insights!
Regarding the filming locations for Tanchico, I thought there was some confirmation that a good part of it was also filmed in South Africa? We know for a fact that Ceara Coveney filmed there for a good amount of time (based on her Instagram stories at the time much of the crew was there).
Also, is there any evidence that Nuno Lopes filmed in South Africa? That would seem to be necessary if he is playing Asmodean (which I thought at first, but am now beginning to wonder if he’s playing someone else). Thanks!
Yes, to both. We also believe that some Tanchico scenes were filmed in South Africa and we have reason to believe Nuno Lopes was in South Africa.