The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy stories written by Clive Staples Lewis from 1950 to 1956. They tell the adventures of four children who are sent from London to the countryside to live with a family friend during World War II. In his house, the guys stumble upon an old wardrobe, which turns out to be a portal to the magical land of Narnia, where evil sorcerers, great magicians, talking trees and animals exist. The series of stories is extremely popular – they have been translated into 41 languages and sold 100 million copies, and 3 full-length film adaptations have grossed $1.58 billion. We invite you to take a trip to New Zealand and the Czech Republic – to the places where films about the magical land of Narnia were filmed.
New Zealand
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. There are 35 nature reserves and national parks in the country, and about 3,000 reserves. Thanks to its amazing nature, New Zealand is often chosen for the filming of science fiction films. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed here, and in 2004, director Andrew Adamson arrived in the country to film the first book of The Chronicles of Narnia. It was decided to film scenes from the life of children in England here: in the hangar of the old Hobsonville Air Base near Auckland, the scenery of London’s Paddington Station and the rooms of the professor’s house were built.
1. Cathedral cove on the Coromandel Peninsula – ruins of Cair Paravel
The scenes where the Pevensie children end up in Narnia in the first and second films were filmed on the Coromandel Peninsula. A magical tunnel takes them to the Cathedral Cave, which was so named because of the arch, shaped like that of a Gothic cathedral. Coming out of the cave, the guys find themselves on Hahei Beach,
on the eastern shore of the peninsula, and on the rocks surrounding the beach, the children discover the ruins of Cair Paravel Castle, the ancient capital of Narnia.
Photo: Still from the film “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”, 2008 The Walt Disney Company
Hahei Beach is one of the best beaches on the peninsula, famous for its bright turquoise water, fine white sand and pohutukawa – evergreen trees with beautiful red flowers. In addition, next to the Cathedral Cave is the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve,
where you can see rare inhabitants of the underwater world by diving to the bottom with an instructor or going on a boat trip with a transparent bottom.
2. Woodhill Forest – White Witch’s Camp
The camp of Narnia’s main villain, the White Witch, was filmed in Woodhill Forest, an hour’s drive northwest of Auckland. This is a huge pine forest covering an area of 12,500 hectares, along which there are many hiking routes of varying difficulty levels and mountain bike trails. Not far from the forest is Muriwai Beach with black volcanic sand and a colony of gannet seabirds living on the rocks next to the beach.
3. Elephant Rocks in the Waitaki Valley – Aslan’s Lion Camp
Photo: Nick Thompson/flickr.com
Millions of years ago, on the site of the Waitaki Valley there was a sea, at the bottom of which a layer of limestone formed from the bones of dead sea animals. Later, the waters receded, and from the soft limestone, water and wind carved huge smooth figures, many of which resemble animals. These mountains are called Elephant Mountains because the tribes who lived in this territory believed that these were huge elephants turned into stone by evil sorcerers. It was here that the camp of the lion Aslan, the son of the creator of Narnia, was filmed.
Photo: Still from the film “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, with a well-preserved historic center lined with Victorian houses. But this city is not famous for its architecture, but for the fact that its harbor is home to a colony of yellow-eyed Hoiho penguins, which are found only here.
4. Purakaunui Bay – the site of the coronation of the four Pevensie children at Cair Paravel Castle
The scene of the coronation of the Pevensie children as kings and queens of Narnia after defeating the White Witch was filmed at Perakauni Bay in the Catlins region. And it is while walking along the sand of the bay beach that the lion Aslan will disappear.
The Catlins have dozens of waterfalls and lakes and untouched nature. The most beautiful waterfalls in the region are the three-tiered McLean Falls and the two-tiered Perakauni falls. There are viewing platforms near both waterfalls. And if you travel along the Catlins Coast from Peraquani Bay to the city of Invercargill, you can see tropical forests with rare birds and beaches where fur seals and lions live.
5. Paradise Valley on the South Island – Narnia, where spring has returned
Photo: Tourism New Zealand Louise Hatton
Paradise Valley, located near Queenstown, appears repeatedly in all three Chronicles of Narnia films, as well as dozens of other films. This is one of the most beautiful valleys in New Zealand with emerald meadows where alpacas graze 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 in the world to film a magical land.
6. Flock Hill Valley – The Great Battle of Narnia
The Great Battle was filmed in Flock Hill, one of the main battles in which the troops of Narnia, led by Aslan, fought the army of the White Witch. Flock Hill is a mountain valley located in the Southern Alps, near the city of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand. There are many hiking routes here: along mountain slopes and caves, along hills and river banks through waterfalls and canyons. And in winter there are ski stations on the mountain slopes.
Photo: Still from the film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
Czech Republic
According to the plot of the first book, Narnia, a flourishing magical land, was frozen by the White Witch, so many scenes and battles take place in valleys, mountains and forests covered with snow. In the warm climate of New Zealand there is no snowfall or winter, so the director was forced to look for a country with cold winters, beautiful nature and high mountains, where there are few tourists in winter. The mountainous region of Bohemian Switzerland (České Švýcarsko) in Northern Bohemia was ideal in all respects.
1. Tiské steny in Czech Switzerland – Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus
Photo: Daniela Řeřichy
The Tiska Walls are sandstone cliffs that get their name from the adjacent village of Tisá. The cliffs are made of brittle sandstone, from which time, water, wind and erosion have created sheer columns, sheer-walled canyons and caves. Many fairy tales and legends are associated with this place – many say that a long time ago there was a city of gnomes who hid treasures in caves and went to live in an underground city. In Tiche Walls they filmed the walls where the children are led to Aslan the Lion and where Lucy, having first entered the world of Narnia, walks through the snowy forest to the house of Mr. Tumnus.
Photo: Still from the film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, 2005. The Walt Disney Company
There are several hiking routes along the Canyons and mountain passes of Tiski Rocks. Some of them are only accessible in summer, due to the fact that in winter the steps carved into the stone become covered with a layer of ice and become dangerous.
2. Pravcicka Gate (Pravcicka Brana) in the Elbe Mountains – beavers lead children to the Lion
Photo: Václav Sojka
Pravcicka Gate is the largest rock arch of the Elbe sandstone mountains, its dimensions reach 16 meters in height and 26 meters in width. This arch, which, like the walls of Tiska, was carved into the stone by rain and wind, is located at the very top of the mountain, not far from the town of Hrensko and the village of Mezna,
from where you can reach the arch on foot. The scene where the beavers leading the Pevensie children to the lion, showing them snow-bound Narnia from a great height, was filmed here. Unfortunately, tourists are prohibited from walking along the arch, but on the rocks closest to it there are several observation platforms that offer panoramic views for hundreds of kilometers.
3. Pavilions of the Barrandov studios in Prague – Miraz Castle
Photo: Still from the film “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. Films such as Mission Impossible, The Bourne Identity, Alien vs. Predator and many others were filmed here. For the filming of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” huge sets of Miraz’s castle were erected here, which took 4 months to build, as well as sets of Trufelov’s house and the premises of the Stone Table Hill. Many scenes in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian were filmed at the castle, featuring Miraz, the main villain of the second film, who killed Prince Caspian’s father to seize the throne.
