“Chronicles of Narnia” is a series of seven fantasy novels written by Clive Staples Lewis between 1950 and 1956. They tell about the adventures of four children who during the Second world war, sent from London to the village, to the family friend. In his house the guys stumble upon an old wardrobe which turns out to be a portal to the magical land of Narnia, where there are evil sorcerers, mages, talking trees and animals. Series of novels are very popular they have been translated into 41 languages and sold over 100 million copies, and 3 feature film adaptation grossed 1.58 billion. We invite you to explore New Zealand and the Czech Republic — the places where they filmed movies about the magical land of Narnia.
New Zealand
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New Zealand is a country with stunning nature: there are mountains and huge fjords, glaciers, geysers, glacial lakes and sandy beaches, as well as unique animals. In the country’s 35 national parks, and about 3,000 reserves. Thanks to the amazing nature of New Zealand is often chosen for filming sci-Fi films. This is where they filmed “Lord of the rings” and “Hobbit”, and in 2004 directed by Andrew Adamson arrived in the country for the film adaptation of the first book of “the Chronicles of Narnia.” Scenes from the life of children in England, it was decided to remove here: in the hangar of the old Hobsonville airbase (Hobsonville Air Base) near Auckland (Auckland) was built with decorations London Paddington station and the rooms of the house of the Professor.
1. Cathedral Cove (Cathedral cove) on the Coromandel Peninsula (Coromandel) — the ruins of Cair Paravel
On the Coromandel Peninsula has been the scene where the Pevensie children enter Narnia in the first and second movies. The magic tunnel takes them into the Cathedral cave, which was so named because of the arch shaped like the arch of a Gothic Cathedral. Coming out of the cave, the boys are on the Hahei beach (Hahei), on the Eastern shore of the Peninsula, and on the cliffs surrounding the beach, the kids discover the ruins of the castle Cair Paravel, the old capital of Narnia.
Photo: a scene from the movie “the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”, 2008. The Walt Disney Company
Hahei beach is one of the best beaches on the Peninsula, it is famous for its bright turquoise water, fine white sand and pohutukawa (pohutukawa) — evergreen trees with beautiful red flowers. In addition, next to the Cathedral cave is located in a marine preserve Those Wanganui-A-HEI (Te Whanganui-A-Hei), where you can see rare inhabitants of the underwater world, dive to the bottom with an instructor or going on a boat ride with a transparent bottom.
2. Woodhill Forest (Woodhill Forest) — The Camp Of The White Witch
The camp of the main villain of Narnia — White Witch — was shot in the forest Woodhill located an hours drive North-West from Auckland. This is a huge pine forest, covering an area of 12,500 hectares, which offers numerous Hiking trails of different difficulty levels, and trails for mountain bikes. Near the forest beach Muriwai (Muriwai Beach) black sand and a colony of sea birds gannets that live on the rocks near the beach.
3. Elephant mountain (Elephant Rocks) in the valley Waitaki (Waitaki) — the camp of Aslan the lion
Photo: Nick Thompson / flickr.com
Millions of years ago on the valley Waitaki was the sea, the bottom of which bones of the dead marine animals formed the limestone layer. Later the water receded, and soft limestone, wind and water have carved huge sleek figure, many of which resemble animals. Elephant these mountains are called due to the fact that the tribes living in this area, believed that this huge elephants, evil sorcerers turned to stone. This place was filmed the camp of the lion Aslan, the son of the Creator of Narnia.
Photo: a scene from the movie “the Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
Not far from the Elephant mountains is the town of Oamaru (Oamaru) with a perfectly preserved historical center, built up with Victorian houses. But this city is not known for architecture, and the fact that its harbour is home to a colony of yellow-eyed penguins Hoiho, which are found only here.
4. Bay Purakaunui (Purakaunui Bay) — the place of coronation of the four Pevensie children in the castle of Ker Paravel
Scene of the coronation of the Pevensie children into kings and Queens of Narnia after defeating the White Witch was filmed in the Bay Purakaunui in the region Catlins (Catlins). And that is going to sand Bay beach will disappear lion, Aslan.
In Catlins dozens of waterfalls and lakes, and unspoiled nature. The most beautiful waterfalls in the region — a three-tiered McLean (McLean Falls), and bunk Peracaula (Perakauni falls). Near the two waterfalls is the observation deck.
And if you go on the coast Catlins from the Gulf of Paraguay to Invercargill (Invercargill), you can see tropical forests with rare birds and beaches, home to fur seals and sea lions.
5. Paradise valley (Paradise Valley) on the South island — Narnia, where he returned for spring
Photo: Tourism New Zealand Louise Hatton
Paradise valley near Queenstown (Queenstown), appears in all three movies of “the Chronicles of Narnia”, as well as in dozens of other movies. This is one of the most beautiful valleys in New Zealand, with emerald meadows, grazing alpacas and parrots fly, rivers full of trout and huge mountains surrounding the valley on all sides. Director mark Johnson who directed the third film, said in an interview that Paradise valley is the best place ever to shoot the magical country.
6. Valley of Flok hill (Flock Hill) — the Great battle for Narnia
In Flock hill was filmed the Great battle — one of the major battles in which the troops of Narnia under the leadership of Aslan fought with the army of the White Witch. Flock hill is a mountain valley located in the Southern Alps, near Christchurch (Christchurch) in the South island of New Zealand. There are many Hiking routes on the mountain slopes and caves, hills and rivers, through waterfalls and canyons. And in the winter on the slopes of the mountains working ski station.
Photo: a scene from the movie “the Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
Czech Republic
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The plot of the first book of Narnia, the blossoming of a magical country was frozen White Witch, so many scenes and battles take place in the valleys, the mountains and forests covered with snow. In a warm climate of New Zealand is neither snow nor winter, so the Director was forced to look for a country with cold winters, beautiful nature and high mountains, where in winter, few tourists. The mountainous area of Bohemian Switzerland (České Švýcarsko) in Northern Bohemia was perfect in all respects.
1. Tyskie wall (Tiské wall) in the Czech Switzerland — Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus
Photo: Daniela Řeřichy
Tyskie walls are Sandstone rocks, which received its name from the adjoining village tisá (Tisá). The rocks consist of friable Sandstone from which time, water, wind and erosion has created vertical columns, canyons with steep walls and caves. This place brings back many tales and legends — many tells that long ago there was a city of dwarves who hid in the caves of treasures, and they went to live in the underground city. In Ticcih the walls, removed walls, where the children have the lion Aslan, where Lucy, first got into the world of Narnia, goes through the snowy woods to the house of Mr. Tumnus.
Photo: a scene from the movie “the Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
In the Canyons and mountain passes Ticcih rocks several Hiking trails. Some of them are available only in summer due to the fact that winter is carved in stone steps covered with a layer of ice and become dangerous.
2. Pravčická brána (Pravcicka Brana) in the Rich mountains, the beavers lead the children to the lion
Photo: Václav Sojka
Pravčická brána is the biggest Sandstone rock arch Rich of mountains, their sizes reach 16 meters high and 26 meters wide. This arch, which, as Tyskie wall, bored through the stone rain and the wind is at the top of the mountain, near the town of Hřensko (Hrensko) and the village Mezna (Mezna), where the arch can be reached on foot. Here was filmed the scene where the beavers, leading the Pevensie children to the lion, show them from a great height the snow-bound Narnia. Unfortunately, walking on the arch of the tourists are forbidden, but on the neighbouring rocks there are several viewing platforms offering panoramic views of hundreds of kilometers.
3. The pavilions of the Studio Barrandov (Barrandov studios) in Prague — the castle of Miraz
Photo: a scene from the movie “the Chronicles of Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
Czech film Studio Barrandov is one of the largest in Europe. This is where they filmed such movies as “Mission Impossible”, “the Bourne Identity”, “Alien vs predator” and many others. For the filming of “the Chronicles of Narnia” here was erected a huge the scenery of the castle Miraz, the construction of which took 4 months, as well as decorations at home Truelove and premises of the hill the Stone table. The castle was filmed many scenes of the film “the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”, with the participation of Miraz, the villain of the second film, who killed the father of Prince Caspian, in order to seize the throne.