Fountains Abbey’s ruins, part of the Studley Royal estate, endure as one of England’s most evocative monastic landscapes, where stone cloisters and archways tell centuries of devotion and landscape design. In The Witcher, the site was repurposed as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters, lending mythic weight to the ruins long after the monks departed. The atmosphere is hushed and otherworldly, with moss-covered stone, dappled light, and the soft murmur of water weaving through the grounds. Today visitors wander among winding passages and ruined halls, feeling a palpable connection between history and fantasy.

Fountains Abbey sits within the haunting ruins of the 12th‑century Cistercian monastery and the Studley Royal water gardens, where centuries of stonework whisper through the air. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble, renowned for soaring arches, cloistered walkways, and mossy courtyards that exude a quiet, timeless atmosphere. In The Witcher, the abbey’s ruins were repurposed as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters, lending mythic gravitas to scenes of magical diplomacy and sorcerous intrigue. Today the setting blends austere medieval grandeur with cinematic hush, as pale limestone frames the ornamental gardens and the meadows beyond, while birds circle above the ancient stones.

Fountains Abbey, founded in 1132 by Benedictine monks, stands as one of the grandest surviving Cistercian ensembles in England, with Studley Royal’s landscaped grounds adding a serene baroque counterpoint to the austere ruins. The Refectory precincts echo centuries of monastic life, where timbered walls, vaulted ceilings, and moss-covered stone create a hushed atmosphere of learning and endurance. Today, the site radiates a cinematic stillness that drew The Witcher’s production designers to transform its courtyards into Aretuza’s cloisters, blending magic with millennia of stone. Visitors stroll through time here, feeling the weight of history as water features and open skies reflect in the ruins’ quiet grandeur.