Where was Gladiator filmed? Zucchabar and all the locations
Posted by Ra Moon
“Are you not entertained?” - Like its 2024 sequel, the colossal sword-and-sandal classic Gladiator was filmed in England, California, Malta, and Morocco.
Ridley Scott's epic movie catapulted Russell Crowe to global stardom and won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.
Ridley Scott's epic movie catapulted Russell Crowe to global stardom and won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.
Although not entirely historically accurate, this ambitious production combined stunning locations, revolutionary CGI for its time, and Hans Zimmer's iconic, emotionally charged score, creating a timeless masterpiece that is still beloved today.
Before playing Joker, Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Commodus is also considered one of cinema's most memorable villains.
Welcome to Zucchabar, Ancient Rome and our guide to all the filming locations of Gladiator. You'll find the locations in order of appearance.
The Gladiator locations
The opening battle scene, in which Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army against the Germanic tribes, remains a benchmark for filmmakers on how to capture a monumental clash.
This was one of the first major scenes to be filmed at Bourne Wood in Surrey, England.
The list of major productions filmed here is staggering, from the Marvel movies to the Harry Potter films. More recently, the Napoleon (2024) Battle of Austerlitz and the largest battle scene to date in House of the Dragon were also filmed here.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps by clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures - Map
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures - Map
The scene with Maximus on horseback trying to get home used the rugged shape of the Alabama Hills scenic area, located about 200 miles northeast of Hollywood, California, as a backdrop.
The area has served as a popular filming location for many Western films including Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012).
Image courtesy of Universal Pictures - Map
The Gladiator house
Maximus' homestead is a breathtaking cinematic location, filmed at the Terrapille Farmhouse in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany (Italy).
You can stay in one of the rooms or apartments of this family-run farm with a long history dating back to the 17th century.
Image courtesy of Universal Pictures - Map
The rolling hills, wheat fields, vineyards, and the rustic farmhouse add a sense of timeless beauty that connects with the public.
You can see in Google Maps the point where the famous field with the path near the farm, the way back home, is located.
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures - Map
Zucchabar in Gladiator
The Zucchabar market town in a Roman province of North Africa (today's Algeria), was portrayed on screen using the location of Aït Benhaddou, Morocco.
This spectacular fortified village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is like something out of the Arabian Nights.
Located on the ancient caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, this town has been featured in many popular productions, including Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, and most recently in the sixth season of Outer Banks as the village of Agapenta.
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures - Map
Rome and the Colosseum
Many historians were hired to work on the film, but director Ridley Scott decided to focus on the cinematographic side of the film.
While it is believed that most buildings in ancient Rome were brightly colored, director Ridley Scott chose to create a cold, blue-lit atmosphere.
The grandeur and scale of the Colosseum were enhanced by combining CGI with real sets.
Most of the scenes in Rome were shot, with some CGI, at Fort Ricasoli, located on the eastern side of the Grand Harbor on the Mediterranean island of Malta.
This historic 17th century fortress features arched structures, gates, and stone columns, where the crew built a massive set with the city's layout as seen in the movie.
On Google Maps, you can see the semicircle of the Colosseum arena that was built at Fort Ricasoli for the new sequel, Gladiator II, on the same site where the original movie was filmed.
The amphitheater set had room for 2,000 spectators, which became about 30,000 more on camera.
Fort Ricasoli also served as the location for the gladiator barracks, the ancient arch, some areas of the palace, and the execution scene pictured.
Also filmed at Fort Ricasoli, the painted walls of the Senator Gracchus' house are the vibrant frescoes found in the Villa of the Mysteries, a well-preserved Roman villa located just outside Pompeii, Italy.
For some reason, the set designers decided to depict the paintings partially damaged in some areas where in real life they are perfectly preserved, apart from the fact that they were supposed to be new at the time.
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures and Atlas of Wonders - Map
This scene pictured was filmed under one of the bridges in the Valletta Ditch also in Malta.
This wide, deep moat surrounds parts of Valletta and was built in the 16th century by the Knights of St. John to strengthen the city's defenses.
Image courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures - Map
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Ra Moon
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