Friday 14 August 2015

Never Before Seen Secret Shooting Locations

Buttercup Valley, Arizona/California

The boundless sand dunes of the Buttercup Valley was where the Great Pit of Carkoon sequence on the Dune Sea was filmed. It appeared in the Return of the Jedi, when Luke and Hans Solo almost died at the hands of Jabba the Hutt. While shooting at the Buttercup Valley, the film crew stayed in Yuma, Arizona.

Death Valley, California, USA

As one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth, the Death Valley makes it a great place for filming out-of-this-world scenes. Death Valley, along with Tunisia, was once used to shoot desert scenes in A New Hope. Both Tunisia and Death Valley were joined together to create the fictional world of Tatooine.

Finse, Norway

Because of its harsh winter environment, Finse in Norway was chosen to represent the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. There are no public roads in this area, though. The mountain village and surrounding glaciers are only accessible by train.

Guilin, China

The Karts mountain landscape of Guilin, China, is one of the most beautiful places in the world, making it a great backdrop for the planet Kashyyk in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Matmata, Tunisia

The planet of Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s home planet, was represented in the film by the scenic deserts, slat flats, and berber architecture of Tunisia. Famous for it troglodyte pit dwellings, the region is dug into the ground to escape the intense desert heat. Its Sidi Driss Hotel also retains parts of the Star Wars film sets.


Ong Jemel, Tunisia

Star Wars has chosen this location because of how its traditional architecture complemented with that of the set built on location. The English Patient was also filmed nearby.

Palace of Caserta, Caserta, Italy

The Palace of Caserta with its over a thousand rooms is the largest royal residence in the world. It was also once the largest palace and one of the largest buildings built in eighteenth-century Europe. The location served as the Palace of Theed in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Plaza De Espana, Seville, Spain

Built in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition World’s Fair, the Plaza de Espana boasts of its magnificent appearance. Its exterior has been used to backdrop the city of Theed on planet Naboo.

Redwood Grove, Marin County, California

The forests of Redwood Grove in Northern California were used in scenes depicting the forest moon of Endor, home of the Ewoks. The three locations filmed were the Skywalker Ranch in Marin County California, Muir Woods National Monument, and the Smith River in Del Norte County California.

Tikal, Guatemala

The Mayan ruins in Tikal was chosen to be the location for the rebel base Yavin 4 in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The view below can be seen as the Millennium Falcon arriving at the rebel base.


Villa Del Balbianello, Lake Como, Italy

The Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como was built in 1787. It was used as the wedding venue for Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker’s secret marriage in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Whippendell Woods, Watford, England

Whippendell Woods were used for brief scenes in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” notably as the opening scenes on Naboo when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi met Jar Jar Binks.

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