Everything we know about Harrenhal

The cursed stronghold of Harrenhal stands as a grim reminder of hubris and tragedy. First appearing in A Song of Ice and Fire, the castle is also featured in House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, and Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin.

Harrenhal is the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms and many important events in Westeros took place here. Despite its size and grandeur, the castle is considered cursed, symbolizing doom and desolation.

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What is the history of Harrenhal?

Credits: HBO

Harrenhal was a castle built by Harren the Black, King of the Isles and Rivers. Its construction began as a testament to Harren’s ambition and power. However, it became a cursed place after Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon, Balerion, destroyed it in a fiery siege.

Its ownership passed through various houses, including the Strongs and the Whents, with each facing ruin or disaster. Harrenhal played a role in many pivotal moments of Westerosi history, from Aegon’s Conquest to the Dance of the Dragons.

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Quick facts

In the Show

• Harrenhal hosted the Great Council of 101 AC, where Viserys I was chosen as the heir to Jaehaerys I.
• Lyonel Strong and his son Harwin died in a fire at Harrenhal, orchestrated by Larys Strong.
• Alicent Hightower questioned Larys Strong about his involvement in the fire that claimed his family.
• Prince Daemon Targaryen used Harrenhal as a strategic base during the Dance of the Dragons.
• The Battle Above the Gods Eye, involving dragons Vhagar and Caraxes, took place near Harrenhal.
• In Game of Thrones, Harrenhal was used as a base by Tywin Lannister during the War of the Five Kings.
• Petyr Baelish was granted Harrenhal as a reward for his loyalty to the crown, though he never truly controlled it.
• The ruins were also a temporary prison for Arya Stark, where she served as a cupbearer to Tywin Lannister.
• Harrenhal featured in various scenes, showcasing its eerie ruins and its reputation as a cursed castle.

In the books

• Harrenhal was built over forty years by Harren the Black.
• Aegon the Conqueror burned the castle, killing Harren and his family.
• The castle changed hands many times, often bringing misfortune to its lords.
• Queen Rhaena Targaryen lived there briefly during Jaehaerys I’s reign.
• It served as the site for major battles and councils in Targaryen history.

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In the show

Credit: HBO

The Great Council and Election of Viserys

Jaehaerys I Targaryen, nearing death, called a Great Council at Harrenhal. The purpose was to decide the heir to the Iron Throne. The council debated and ultimately selected Jaehaerys’s grandson, Viserys Targaryen. After Jaehaerys’s death, Viserys became the fifth king of the Seven Kingdoms.

Lyonel Strong and his son Harwin died in a fire at Harrenhal. The fire was secretly orchestrated by Larys Strong. When questioned by Queen Alicent about the incident, Larys dismissed it, claiming it was the curse of Harrenhal. His indifference raised suspicions about his motives.

After Aegon II Targaryen seized the throne, Daemon proposed using Harrenhal as a strategic base. It was an ideal location for rallying Riverlords who supported the Blacks. These loyalists planned to gather and launch their assault on King’s Landing from Harrenhal.

Daemon Takes Harrenhal

Daemon flew Caraxes to Harrenhal during a severe storm to claim it for the Blacks. Landing atop Kingspyre Tower, he faced minimal resistance. He quickly subdued the castle’s guards and declared his claim in the great hall. Harrenhal’s castellan, Ser Simon Strong, bent the knee and pledged loyalty to Rhaenyra.

Simon explained his hatred for his nephew Larys Strong, who had murdered Simon’s father and brother. Daemon ordered Simon to begin repairs on Harrenhal. The castle needed to be prepared to house an army. Daemon also commanded Simon to summon Grover Tully to negotiate terms of support for their cause.

Later that night, Daemon experienced a strange dream in Harrenhal’s godswood. A dark-haired woman named Alys Rivers warned him he would die at Harrenhal.

Alys shared her belief that Harrenhal was cursed. She explained that Harren the Black had destroyed sacred weirwood trees during the castle’s construction. She claimed their spirits still lingered, whispering to those within the castle’s walls.

Daemon executed Willem Blackwood in the godswood of Harrenhal, as commanded by Lord Oscar Tully.

Game of Thrones: Harrenhal’s Role

In Season 1, Catelyn encountered Willis Wode, a knight of Harrenhal, at the Inn at the Crossroads. She asked for his loyalty to Lady Whent and her father. Willis agreed and helped Catelyn restrain Tyrion Lannister.

King Joffrey later granted Harrenhal to Janos Slynt as a reward for betraying Eddard Stark.

After the Lannisters lost the Battle of Whispering Wood, Tywin Lannister planned to capture Harrenhal. He intended to use it as a strategic base for his army in the Riverlands. Tywin’s army outnumbered Robb Stark’s forces, who consolidated near Riverrun in response.

In Season 2, Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie were taken to Harrenhal, now a Lannister stronghold. They witnessed brutal torture led by the Mountain, Tickler, and Polliver. The torturers sought information about the Brotherhood Without Banners. Tywin Lannister later arrived, scolding the torturers for not utilizing the smallfolk for the war effort.

Tyrion offered Harrenhal to Littlefinger in exchange for his help in securing Jaime Lannister’s release. Arya interacted with Tywin during her time at Harrenhal. After Tywin left to confront Robb, Arya escaped with Jaqen H’ghar’s assistance. Following the Battle of the Blackwater, Joffrey granted Harrenhal to Littlefinger for aiding the Lannister-Tyrell alliance.

Game of Thrones: Harrenhal’s Later Events

In Season 3, Robb Stark’s army found Harrenhal abandoned by the Mountain. The Northern and Riverlands prisoners had been executed. After Hoster Tully’s death, Robb left Harrenhal. Roose Bolton stayed behind to command the ruined castle with part of the Northern army.

Jaime Lannister arrived at Harrenhal as a prisoner after being captured and maimed by Locke. He was accompanied by Brienne, who was escorting him to King’s Landing to trade for Catelyn’s daughters. Jaime later negotiated his release with Roose Bolton, while Brienne remained behind to face Locke’s wrath.

Locke threw Brienne into a bear pit. Jaime returned to Harrenhal to rescue her and successfully saved her. Furious, Locke stayed behind as Jaime and Brienne departed for King’s Landing.

In Season 4, Locke abandoned Harrenhal and returned to the Dreadfort alongside Roose Bolton. Harrenhal remained leaderless after Littlefinger’s execution in Season 7. As the sole member of House Baelish, his death left the castle without a lord once again.

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In the books

Credits: Lino Drieghe

Overview of Harrenhal

Harrenhal was the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms and sat on the north shore of the Gods Eye. It served as the seat of House Whent in the Riverlands. Since its burning during Aegon’s Conquest, Harrenhal had become a ruined and ominous place. The castle’s vast holdings included fertile lands and stretches reaching the hills near House Wode.

The castle’s surrounding area included Harrentown, which was located nearby. Despite its grandeur, much of Harrenhal remained in decay, with only portions of its towers and structures in use. Many areas had fallen into disrepair, untouched for decades, and the castle had gained a reputation for being haunted. Bats infested the tops of its towers, adding to its eerie reputation.

Harrenhal’s curse and its tragic history made it a grim reminder of its past. Its enormous size, coupled with the expense of maintaining it, left many lords unable to hold it for long. The castle witnessed countless horrors and remained a symbol of hubris and decay.

Harrenhal’s Layout

Harrenhal was built on a colossal scale, with five immense towers and massive curtain walls. The walls were as thick as cliffs, and its rooms were disproportionately large. The castle’s structures included the Hall of a Hundred Hearths, the largest chamber in Westeros. This hall could accommodate an army and featured galleries and slate floors.

The castle spanned three times the area of Winterfell and boasted a godswood covering 20 acres. Its stables could house 1,000 horses, and its kitchens were as large as Winterfell’s Great Hall. Harrenhal’s gatehouse rivaled the size of Winterfell’s Great Keep. The sheer size of the walls obscured the tops of the towers when viewed from the ground.

The towers, bent and misshapen due to the melting of stone by dragonfire, included the Tower of Dread, Widow’s Tower, Wailing Tower, Tower of Ghosts, and Kingspyre Tower. Their original names were lost after the castle’s burning. Many believed the towers were haunted by fiery spirits from Harrenhal’s dark past.

Features of Harrenhal

The Flowstone Yard served as a training area for soldiers and squires. It was located near the Wailing Tower and included a gallery with arches overlooking the yard. The bear pit, situated in the middle ward, was a stone enclosure used for entertainment. It measured ten by five yards and had six tiers of marble benches.

The castle’s godswood contained a weirwood with a terrifying visage. The heart tree had deep marks from the Battle Above the Gods Eye and bled each spring. The bathhouse featured large stone tubs, big enough to hold several people, and was constructed with stone and timber. Its only entrance added to its isolation.

The kitchens were housed in a round building with a domed roof. Adjoining the armory was the smithy, which included 20 forges. Harrenhal also had other halls, such as Hunter’s Hall, and haunted mews. Despite its size and complexity, much of the castle remained underused and shrouded in darkness.

The Curse of Harrenhal

Harrenhal was believed to be cursed. Every house that held the castle met a tragic end. Its first owner, Harren the Black, perished along with his line when Aegon the Conqueror burned the castle with dragonfire. The molten stone left the castle deformed and marked by tragedy.

Subsequent owners, such as House Qoherys, House Harroway, and House Towers, also faced extinction. Each house was wiped out due to rebellion, political treachery, or lack of heirs. The widowed Queen Rhaena Targaryen lived there briefly but died within its walls. House Strong, another holder, ended with the execution of Larys Strong.

The curse was attributed to Harren’s hubris and the atrocities committed during the castle’s construction. Stories of human blood mixed into the mortar and the destruction of ancient weirwoods contributed to the legend. Many rulers met untimely deaths, reinforcing the belief in the curse’s power.

Recent History and Events

During the War of the Five Kings, Tywin Lannister captured Harrenhal and used it as a stronghold. He left Amory Lorch as castellan, but Lorch was later killed by the Brave Companions. Roose Bolton briefly held the castle before granting it to Vargo Hoat. Hoat faced gruesome torture at the hands of Gregor Clegane.

Arya Stark served as a cupbearer at Harrenhal and later escaped with Gendry and Hot Pie. Petyr Baelish was granted Harrenhal as a reward, but he never assumed control. Jaime Lannister appointed Bonifer Hasty as castellan after clearing out the Mountain’s men. Harrenhal remained a symbol of tragedy and loss.

The castle’s dominance and curse were unmatched in Westeros. Many lords tried to claim it, but its grim history persisted. Harrenhal’s legacy as a haunted and cursed place ensured its reputation as a site of sorrow and downfall for its rulers.

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Quotes

“And King Harren learned that thick walls and high towers are small use against dragons. For dragons fly.” —Old Nan to Catelyn Stark’s children

“You’ve heard the stories of Harrenhal, Your Grace. It was built in hubris by Harren the Black as a monument to his own greatness. Blood mixed into the mortar. It is said to be a cursed place. That it passes judgment on all who pass beneath its gates.” ―Larys Strong

Quick answers

Where is Harrenhal featured in Game of Thrones?

Harrenhal appears in multiple seasons as a place of imprisonment, battle, and negotiation. Notable events include Arya Stark’s time there and Jaime’s rescue of Brienne.

Why is Harrenhal cursed?

The curse stems from Harren the Black’s death and his family’s annihilation. Every subsequent lord faced ruin or death.

What are the five towers of Harrenhal?

The towers are Kingspyre, Wailing Tower, Widow’s Tower, Tower of Dread, and Tower of Ghosts. They remain ruined and eerie.

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01/20/2025 01:52 pm GMT