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The truth about where The Prisoner was filmed was a closely guarded secret until the very final episode was aired. Some newspapers reported it was actually filmed on a huge set, others believed it must have been in the Mediterranean due to the style of architecture.
In reality The Village is Portmeirion in North Wales. Portmeirion is a private village that was created by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. He used a combination of rescued architectural follies and specially designed buildings which provide a fascinating mix of architectural styles. Most of the buildings are 2/3rd scale copies of other buildings in cities around the world.
Portmeirion was built during two phases. The first was between 1925-1939 when the most distinctive buildings were put in place. The second world war imposed a moratorium on building because of the scarcity of supplies, and so the second phase of building did not start until 1954, when it continued until 1976. The second phase is noteworthy for his style shift to Palladian and classical architectural forms.
The Prisoner fans will notice Number 2’s Green Dome is no longer green! The original dome was made from wood, but the weather took its toll on it over the years, and so Portmeirion Ltd replaced the wooden painted dome with a copper dome in the early nineties. The copper will naturally start to verdigris after about fifteen years, so eventually it will be green again.
Portmeirion is now owned by a charitable trust, and has always been run as a hotel, which uses the majority of the buildings as hotel rooms or self-catering cottages, together with various shops, a cafe, tea-room and restaurant. Portmeirion is today a top tourist attraction in North Wales and day visits can be made on payment of an admission charge.
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