King's Landing

**King's Landing** is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, located in the Crownlands on the east coast of Westeros. It is situated along the kingsroad at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and overlooks Blackwater Bay. King's Landing is the site of the Iron Throne and the Red Keep, which is the seat of the king, Dareon III from House Targaryen of King's Landing.

The main city is surrounded by a wall, manned by the City Watch of King's Landing, also known as the gold cloaks. King's Landing is the most populous city in Westeros, but unsightly and dirty compared to other cities. Poorer smallfolk build shanty settlements outside the city. The stench of the city's waste can be smelled far beyond its walls.

King's Landing, the principal harbor of the Seven Kingdoms, is rivaled only by Oldtown, which is larger in area but less populous. Nearby towns include Rosby and Duskendale to the northeast and Tumbleton to the southwest, while the kingswood is found south of the capital across the Blackwater. Driftmark and Dragonstone in the Gullet protect the bay from the narrow sea.

## Layout

King's Landing is roughly square-shaped, sprawling across several miles and defended by tall walls. It is dotted with manses, arbors, granaries, brick storehouses, timbered inns, merchant stalls, taverns, graveyards and brothels. There is a fish market. Hundreds of quays can be found in the harbor. Between buildings the roads are broad, lined with trees and branching alleys and streets.

The city covers the north shore of the Blackwater Rush and covers three tall hills, named after Aegon and his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys. Aegon's High Hill, surmounted by the Red Keep, the royal castle located in the south-eastern corner of the city, overlooks the bay directly, whilst Visenya's Hill to the west is crowned by the marble-walled Great Sept of Baelor and its seven crystal towers. The Hill of Rhaenys in the north is capped by the Dragonpit's dome, its bronze doors gleaming in the sunlight.

Behind the quays outside of the walls, there tend to be ramshackle buildings which extend to the walls. These include bait shacks, pot shops, warehouses, merchant's stalls, alehouses, and prostitution rooms.

Poor smallfolk reside in the slums of Flea Bottom, a maze of narrow streets and alleys. They subsist on "bowls of brown", a mystery stew that can include the meat of rats and murder victims, among other things. The richest residents live on the other side of the Hill of Rhaenys from Flea Bottom. The richer areas of King's Landing lie near the Old Gate.

Large tourneys are held outside the city, beside the Blackwater and near the King's Gate.

### City Gates

Seven is a sacred number for the Faith, thus the reason Aegon I Targaryen had seven huge gates built as the entrances into the capital of King's Landing. Each is protected by portcullis, heavy doors, and armed guard.

* Dragon Gate, leads north to the kingsroad.
* Iron Gate, leads to the Rosby road.
* Old Gate.
* Gate of the Gods.
* River Gate, known as the Mud Gate by the population of the city, leads south to the kingsroad and the roseroad.
* Lion Gate, leads west to the Goldroad.
* King's Gate, outside of which are tourney grounds.

### Notable Locations

* The Red Keep, the royal castle located on top of Aegon's High Hill. Within the castle are Maegor's Holdfast and the Tower of the Hand.
* The Great Sept of Baelor, where the Most Devout convene with the High Septon. It is the holiest sept of the Seven. It is located on Visenya's Hill.
* The Dragonpit, a huge dome, that is used to hold the Targaryen dragons. Its bronze doors face the Street of Sisters that runs between it and the Great Sept of Baelor. It is found on the Hill of Rhaenys.
* The Guildhall of the Alchemists beneath the Hill of Rhaenys, stretching right to the foot of Visenya's Hill, along the Street of Sisters. Beneath it is where the Alchemists create and store the wildfire.
* Flea Bottom, slum area of King's Landing, a downtrodden area of town. It has pot-shops along the alleys where one can get a bowl of brown. It has a stench of pigsties and stables, tanner's sheds mixed in the smell of winesinks and whorehouses.

### Streets, Squares, and Other

* The Street of the Sisters connects the Great Sept of Baelor to the Dragonpit. One can find the Guildhall of the Alchemists upon it. It runs straight as an arrow between the hills of Rhaenys and Visenya, from which it gets its name.
* The Street of Steel is where most smiths have their forges. It begins on the west of Fishmonger's Square inside the River Gate and climbs up Visenya's Hill. The higher up one goes, the more expensive the shops.
* The Street of Flour contains numerous bakeries. Below the street lies a maze of twisting alleys and cross streets.
* The Street of Silk is a street to the northwest of the Dragonpit lined with brothels of varying expense.
* Eel Alley is located on Visenya's Hill.
* Pigrun Alley is enclosed by tall timber-and-stone buildings whose upper stories lean out so far over the streets that they nearly touch those of the buildings across from them.
* Shadowblack Lane, a twisty lane that begins at the northern gate of the Red Keep and winds its way down to the foot of Aegon's High Hill.
* Reeking Lane is a street full of apprentices.
* Muddy Way, a street that begins at Fishmonger's Square.
* Sowbelly Row
* Pisswater Bend is a street probably located in Flea Bottom.
* Street of Seeds
* Street of Looms
* Coppersmith's Wynd
* River Row is a street along the southern wall, east of Fishmonger's Square, home to sea captains, fishmongers and others with interest in the harbor.
* The Hook is a long, curved thoroughfare connecting the River Gate to Aegon's High Hill.
* Cobbler's Square
* Fishmonger's Square is a market square inside the Mud Gate.

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