Dunluce Castle is an abandoned medieval castle set on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea in County Antrim, Northern Ireland that has been featured in the HBO series Game of Thrones. The dramatic setting is surrounded by steep drop-offs on every side and the castle can only be reached after crossing a bridge from the mainland. Dunluce was first built by the MacQuillan in the early 1500s but was taken over by the warrior MacDonnells in the 1550s. The clifftop location was ideal for defenses but proved a bit unstable — and part of the kitchen fell into the ocean during a stormy night in the 1630s. The castle passed hands to the Earls of Antrim but left to fall into disrepair.
