Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Ultimate Location Travel Guide

For Raiders of the Lost Ark locations follow this link:
http://ultimateindylocations.blogspot.fr/

For Temple of Doom locations follow this link:
http://templeofdoomlocation.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/indiana-jones-and-temple-of-doom.html

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has by far the largest number of locations, although the majority are in the United States and Europe.

Opening Sequence
The opening scene was filmed at Arches National Park, Utah, USA.

The opening shot was filmed at approximate coordinates:  38°37'29.77"N 109°35'57.63"W and includes the below still. It is just off a car park to the left of the road.

Courthouse Towers

The Organ

 Approximate coordinates of camera location:  38°37'59.53"N 109°35'55.87"W
The exact spot is around 150 yards from the road and a is little tricky to find.
Balanced Rock

Another easy shot to obtain from the car park at Balanced rock, coordinates: 38°42'5.84"N 109°33'58.49"W Three Gossips.

 The above shot is filmed close to the shot of The Organ, but with the camera rotated roughly 90 degrees to the left.

Tower of Babel.

Taken from approximate coordinates: 38°39'4.65"N 109°35'45.63"W

Double Arch

The shot of Double Arch is taken from the path to it, at approximate coordinates:  38°41'28.49"N 109°32'24.39"W
Cave Exit

The cave exit is very close to Double Arch at approximate coordinates: 38°41'28.48"N 109°32'23.54"W. 

             

For a great film covering the opening scene with shot comparisons follow this link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zupniOYfxXA&fbclid=IwAR24c2ilPt11z6KmZH59T77k9riGynWIz2LmPoeRjsl2oSkNFmrqqLzmpkg

Train Chase

 The train chase was filmed at the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, 5234 B Hwy 285, Antonito, CO, 81120, USA, coordinates: 36°54'2.46"N 106°34'50.42"W. You can ride the train on various dates between the months of May and September. Their website is here: http://cumbrestoltec.com
During my visit in January the railroad was not open however, I was lucky enough to find one of the engines potentially used in filming, No. 494. At that time it was on the tracks just south of Antonito, CO. In the 28 years since filming the engine has had at least one change of paint and a few slight piping alterations. However, a distinctive cylindrical object remains visible, slightly obscured by three horizontal pipes, which the other engines at the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad do not possess.

 UPDATE January 2017: It appears I did not find the locomotive used in filming. Darwin Jones (expert on all things Last Crusade) has found a production still showing locomotive 484 towing the circus carriages for filming shown below.

Photo courtesy of Darwin Jones

A photo from the recently updated Cumbres and Toltec website shows the distinctive detailing on the lower right side of the locomotive, confirming this is indeed the engine used in the movie.

Locomotive 484 showing right side detail. Picture from http://cumbrestoltec.com/

 Henry Jones House

Jones House

Henry Jones house can be found at 502 Front St., Antonito, Colorado, USA, coordinates:  37° 4'34.17"N 106° 0'25.87"W. It is now a bed and breakfast hotel:

http://indianajoneshome.com/
For better lighting I would recommend visiting after midday.

Back to Indy's College

This time Rickmansworth School also provides the exteriors to Indy's College. Much has been made of an apparent name change from Marshall to Barnett College between Raiders and Last Crusade, it is clearly the same classroom, therefore it is surely the same college. The only reference to the college name in the trilogy is in the above film still, if you look carefully above the entrance door "Barnett College"  is visible, and the chapter selection on the DVD menu calls it Barnett College. In Raiders I can find no reference in the actual film to the college's name, but please leave a comment if I am wrong. To see more on this pointless discussion see http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Marshall_College. Despite such discussions, this site serves as an excellent Indiana Jones resource.

Out of Indy's "office" window, Rickmansworth.

Henry Jones New England Home

Henry's House is at 3 Wills Grove, Mills Hill, Barnet, London, UK coordinates:

51° 36' 56.98" N  0° 13' 58.03" W

The house is a private residence so please respect the owner's (Interiors shot at Elstree Studios).
 
Me, the Duck of Doom and my girlfriend.

 Airport

 The scene of Indy and Marcus boarding the plane to Venice is at North Weald Airfield England, coordinates: 51°43'14.01"N 0° 9'7.77"E. I have no desire to visit. According to http://forum.keypublishing.com/archive/index.php/t-76712.html the DC 3 used for filming now resides at Coventry Airport, Siskin Parkway West, Coventry CV3 3PB (visible on Google Earth at coordinates: 52°22'12.14"N 1°29'10.14"W).

Image from http://www.oldprops.ukhome.net 

The DC 3 from Last Crusade today, used for radar trials. On the day I visited this was as close as I could get.

Venice

Arrival in Venice.
Indy and Marcus arrive at Fondamenta Salute, near to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, coordinates: 45°25'59.51"N 12°20'5.80"E

 "Ah, Venice." 

The pier on which they arrive no longer exists.

"How will we recognise this Dr Sneider"

 

They then walk down Fondamenta Gherardini, cross the Ponti dei Pugni (Bridge of Fists) coordinates: 45°25'59.36"N 12°19'27.69"E and turn the corner onto Campo San Barnaba

Over the bridge.

The awning covering a grocers is still there (it is also visible in Summertime 1955).

 The library that looks like a converted church is indeed a church, San Barnaba de Venizia, coordinates: 45°25'59.01"N 12°19'30.63"E.
The interiors were filmed at Elstree Studios however, the actual interior has an interesting exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci's works.

It also provides an opportunity to see if X marks the spot.

There are no catacombs under the Chiesa di San Barbara. 

The manhole cover was constructed for the film.

This Piazza was also used in David Lean's 1955 film Summertime. Katherine Hepburn famously falls in the same canal that Indy, Elsa and Brody walk along.

Indy drops Kazim off at Barbaro Palace, coordinates: 45°25'53.78"N  12°19'47.41"E. This is probably best photographed from a privately hired boat on The Grand Canal. Water taxis pass this spot on their way to Piazza San Marco, but getting an accurate picture is a challenge. The location is visible from the Ponte dell' Accademia bridge over the Grand Canal where the below picture was taken.

Venice Docks

Filmed at Tilbury Docks, Essex, UK, coordinates:  51°27'22.61"N   0°21'7.18"E.

The above picture of the entrance to the docks is probably the closest I'll get to the location at Tilbury. The area is reminiscent of a demilitarised zone with a huge concrete wall enclosing the dock area. The entrance is heavily guarded with checkpoint barriers. To gain access would require a letter of some sort, possibly to Cemex (UK) Ltd who appear to be occupying the site where the film was shot. The industrialised nature of the 20th and 21st Centuries has left quite an impact on Tilbury where Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous speech (about having the heart and stomach of a King) to rally the troops before the Spanish Armada.

Exteriors that are in fact interiors

TheRaider.net has written that the Hotel Daniele provided the Venice apartment interiors for Last Crusade (http://www.theraider.net/films/crusade/filming_locations.php). This has lead at least two fans to go in search of the Campanile (Bell Tower) visible in the above shot. It is thought to be the Chiesa di San Pantalone. However, the view of the Campanile Chiesa di San Pantalone from the Hotel Daniele does not match the above screen shot. Secondly, although the body of the tower does bear a striking resemblance to the Campanile Chiesa di San Pantalone, it has an onion dome roof, rather than the more simple pyramidal roof visible in the above screen shot. This is similar to the roof of Campanile San Sebastiano. I believe, that like Donovan's city apartment, the interior is a set and the "exterior" visible is an excellent, well lit model, suggesting that the model makers took inspiration from these two towers. I can find no bell tower in Venice that matches accurately (http://www.churchesofvenice.co.uk and hunting on the ground). Also, to my eye, the light pouring in through the Venice apartment, while very good, is not natural sunlight. 

If anyone knows to the contrary I would be very grateful to hear from you.

 Hotel Daniele above, pink building, apparently Spielberg and cast stayed here. Taken from passing ferry. Note, no towers visible behind.

From left, the Bell Towers of
Chiesa di San Pantalone, San Nicolo dei Mendicoli (Which Donald Sutherand's character is restoring in Don't Look Now 1973) and Campanile San Sebastiano (taken from passing ferry), all in the Dorsodoru district.

Castle Brunwald

Castle Brunwald is the Schloss Bürresheim, 56727 Mayen, Germany, coordinates:  50°21'6.97"N 7°10'53.47"E (camera placement) near Sankt Johann. It is open 11am to 5pm. Tours are offered, though only in German. Whilst I was there in winter (07/01/2016) a tour was on offer at 12.15pm. The negative has been flipped for the shot and the castle has been enhanced with a Matte Painting. The "enhancement" has been to copy the right facade and place it to the left of the main tower, and alter the surrounding landscape.

Me at Schloss Bürresheim as it appears in reality, "unflipped" and a little less imposing.

Iskenderun

 Iskenderun, as stated in the film was formerly know as Alexandretta and is in modern day Turkey (As Sallah lives in Cairo this is a hell of trek for him). For the film Gaudix, Granada, Spain stands in, the train station is on the Avenue Estacion, coordinates: 37°19'1.41"N   3° 7'38.09"W.

Me outside Guadix Train station as it appears in June 2018.

Cairo  With the actual movie prop, in the tourist office's temporary Last Crusade museum. A big thanks to Darwin Jones for taking me there

 On the platform.

I visited during the 30th anniversary celebration of filming, which included stunt shows and recreating scenes from the film. 

 Escape from Castle Brunwald

This brief scene was filmed on the Elstree backlot lake at approximately coordinates:  51°39'21.63"N 0°16'3.73"W. Sadly Elstree Studios, whilst still producing movies, is a shadow of its former glory. A large portion of the site, including the areas where sound stages that once provided home for many Lucasfilm sets, has been demolished and turned into a supermarket with accompanying acres of car park. The backlot lake has been filled in however, the treeline of Lombardy Poplars that provided the backdrop to the scene still remain, and after nearly 30 years, are relatively unchanged. 

The above photo shows the backlot lake as it once was, the arrow marks the approximate site where the scene was filmed

The area is now a back entrance to the studio, and it's possible to get close to where the scene was shot, though the new studio boundary prevents access to the exact location. Security wondered what I was doing, but once I explained my intentions they were friendly enough, and told me where some scenes from Temple of Doom had been filmed on the backlot.  

Image from: http://retrostarwarsstrikesback.tumblr.com/post/118191031861/trying-out-his-speeder-bike-testing-out-the-props

 The lake and same treeline is visible from the above photo showing a test of a speeder bike for Return of the Jedi.

Elstree Studio Entrance.

The George Lucas Stage.

The studio is not open for tours, photos taken over the security fence.

Motorbike Chase
The bike chase was filmed at Mount Tamalpais watershed, Marin County, CA, USA.

 A revetment has been added to the hairpin since filming. The location can be found at the junction of Concrete Pipe Road and Shaver Grade at coordinates: 37°57'47.85"N122°35'38.69"W.

The day we visited was a little damp and many of the trees have been cut back since 1988. Location found at coordinates: 37°57'53.86"N 122°35'40.94"W.

As with all the trails in the area the trees/vegetation have been cut back significantly.

The hut was, as you might expect it was built for the film and no trace remains.

January is perhaps not the best time to visit the bay area.

 

The motorbikes used for the chase are at Disney World Florida, USA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Backlot_Tour on the backlot tour coordinates:  28°21'15.68"N 81°33'41.16"W. Though the park has recently undergone renovation and this may no longer be the case. I would welcome any information on this.

Spielberg felt there was not enough action in the movie and this scene was filmed after principle photography, hence Harrison Ford's hair is noticeably longer.

Berlin Venice Sign

The trees have grown significantly in 30 years.

From northern California to Spain. This scene was shot in the Sierra de Huetor, on forest roads at coordinates: 37°18'24.47"N 3°27'49.98"W

Berlin

"All I have to do is squeeze."

"All I have to do is scream."

The Berlin book burning rally was filmed at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, MK18 5EQ, the former stately home, now school, can be visited. Or, if you are wealthy enough, you can send your children there. The website is: http://www.stowe.co.uk/house/visiting-stowe/visiting-the-house 

An easier way to see the location is to go to Stowe Gardens which can be visited separately from the house, (though a joint ticket can be bought for the house and gardens at a discount) and are managed by the National Trust: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe/. The gardens are well with the £11 entrance fee and has a good café at the entrance. From the gardens the location is at the rear of the school (its front façade) and strictly speaking access is restricted to the school. However, if you ask permission I am sure a member of staff will allow you access, as I found everyone at Stowe to be very friendly.

 This location has been incorrectly identified as the nearby Blenheim Palace (birthplace of Winston Churchill) in J.W. Rinzler's other wise excellent book "The Complete Making of Indiana Jones". This fact has subsequently permeated the internet. 

Zeppelin Port Exterior

The zeppelin port exterior is located at Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA, USA, coordinates: 37°49'0.92"N 122°22'17.82"W. The tower, cars and flags were digitally added for the film.

Zeppelin Port Interior

The Royal Horticultural Society's Lawrence Hall, Grey Coat Street, London, SW1P 2QD provides the interior of the Zeppelin Port. The space is now a school sports hall but, still hosts RHS exhibitions throughout the year; details of which can be found here:https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-london-shows/getting-to-the-shows. This is by far the best way to see the stunning Art Deco structure. We chose to go whilst an international Orchid show was on, which filled the Hall with a kaleidoscope of stunning colours. Be sure to go to an exhibition where Lawrence Hall is the venue, as some exhibitions only use the nearby Lindley Hall.

Biplane

"Fly yes. Land no."

To be visited when airworthy...

The biplane used in the movie is listed here: http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000117388.html and Tiger Airways offers the chance to fly in it, their website is: http://www.tigerairways.co.uk/. The plane is currently undergoing restoration and will not be air worthy for at least a year.

Biplane Crash Site

"Nicshe Landing"

 "I think they're trying to kill us."

With Darwin Jones excellent guide to Last Crusade locations.

This location is in southern Spain near Alfaix at coordinates: 37° 6'23.86"N 1°57'21.50"W (Many thanks to "Darwin Jones" for this information and his great blog: http://aboutthemovielastcrusade.blogspot.co.uk/) with the dogfight shot around, coordinates: 37° 8'11.12"N 1°56'6.66"W.

The lens used to create forced perspective (giving the impression that the fighter is closer to the car than it really is) make it very hard to recreate this shot without a better camera than the one I took to Spain. 

The location used the now abandoned Cortijo Grande Airport (Thanks again to Darwin Jones).

 Tunnel Plane Crash

The tunnel is part of an abandoned mine near Rodalquilar, Spain, coordinates: 36°51'17.05"N  2° 3'35.23"W. With courage you can drive the majority of the way from Rodalquillar on a bumpy dirt track.

The image has been flipped to match the finished film. In reality the car enters and exits the same tunnel entrance. The image has been "flipped" as the car enters the tunnel (with the "40" speed signs painted as in a mirror. And when the car exits the tunnel the image is as it appears in real life. The magic of the movies...

Crater Crash

 "They don't come any closer than that."

This location can be found near Cala Grande Beach, not far from Monsul Beach.

Beach

"I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne."

The beach scene was at Playa Monsul, Spain, coordinates: 36°43'49.02"N 2° 8'41.74"W.

Republic of Hatay
The republic of Hatay was, according to Wikipedia, "a short lived political entity" in what is now modern day Syria. The exterior of the Palace is a Matte painting inspired by the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.

Republic of Hatay.

Taken from an image by McQuillan Murphy

Hagia Sophia, the inspiration for the Palace

Palace

"Rolls-Royce Phantom II. 4.3 litre, 30 horsepower, six cylinder engine, with Stromberg Downdraft carburetor. Can go from zero to 100 kilometers an hour in 12.5 seconds. And I even like the color."

With my camera lens I struggled to recreate the shot accurately.

The palace is the Escuela de Arte Almeria, Plaza Pablo Cazard, 1, 04001 Almeria, Spain, coordinates: 36°15'13.63"N  2°27'52.23"W. It is open Mondays: 6pm to 9pm and Tues to Saturday 11am to 2pm; 6pm to 9pm, and entry is free. Source: http://www.unique-almeria.com/school-of-arts.html
As for the Rolls-Royce, it is actually a Barker Saloon, with 20/25 hp. Apparently it subsequently had the misfortune to star in "The Sorcerers Apprentice" (2010). These facts are repeated verbatim on the web, probably from the Wikipedia entry on Phantom II's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_II. With no distinguishing features visible on the car in Last Crusade, I can find no further information on where it currently resides.

Iskenderun Street Scene

"In this sort of race, there's no silver medal for finishing second."

This brief scene is at 29 Calle Almanzor, Almeria, Andulcia, Spain, coordinates: 36°50'23.81"N  2°28'12.74"W.

Tank Chase

Indalecion Rambla.

 "Dad, we're well out of range."

The above shot was filmed at coordinates: 36°58'40.26"N   2°27'10.90"W

Looking down on Indalecio Rambla.

"That car belonged to my brother in law." 

  

Trujilla Flats, Tabernas Desert

An area also used in Game of Thrones. 

 Above; Buho/Moreno Rambla near Tabernas village.

One of the great movie stunts, performed by legendary stunt man Vic Armstrong.

Overwhelmed by finally finding the location (on the second time of trying over a year after the first attempt) I didn't do the best job of matching the shot. However, there is a distinctive, albeit small, geological feature visible in both images.  

 

 

 Lanujar Rambla, Tabernas Desert.

Salinillas Cliffs 

The tank chase was filmed at Rambla Indalecio in Almeria, a film location hotspot, particularly for Spaghetti Westerns amongst much else. My success in finding locations and the fun I had in Almeria and Guadix would not have been the same if it were not for Darwin Jones. His book: "X Marks the Spot", is the definitive guide for all Last Crusade locations.

The tank now lives at Disney World Florida, USA, coordinates: 28°21'23.94"N 81°33'31.27"W. It was built specifically for the film and based on the WW1 International or Liberty Tank Mark VIII. An original of which can be viewed a the Bovington Tank Museum, UK http://www.tankmuseum.org/, which the film makers visited for inspiration.

Canyon of the Crescent Moon reverse shot.

Resting Place of the Holy Grail
The resting place of the Holy Grail is Al Khazneh, or The Treasury in the astonishing ancient city of Petra, Jordan, coordinates: 30°19'19.28"N 35°27'5.40"E.

 A first glimpse of The Treasury through the Siq

 

 Looking down on the Treasury

Petra truly is one of the worlds great wonders. I would recommend spending at least 3 days exploring this vast ancient city, a three day ticket is also relatively good value costing little more than a 1 day ticket. To enjoy the amazing architecture without hoards of other tourists, and to escape the heat of the day, it is well worth getting up early. The site opens at 6.30am. There are "free" horse rides from the ticket office to the entrance of the Siq (the canyon through which you enter Petra). However, you will be expected to give a generous tip for these rides, and concerns have been raised over animal welfare.

If you prefer not to be part of a tour group, the Lonely Planet Guide to Jordan has maps that are sufficient enough to plan your own route around the city. I would thoroughly recommend getting off the beaten track and exploring some of the lesser visited canyons. Whilst not containing the most spectacular structures at Petra (it is all relative), they are still incredibly impressive and you can have them all to yourself, as the main tour groups do not go to these areas. Ad-Dayr, "The Monastery" is perhaps the single most impressive building at Petra and well worth the hike. So too is the hike to look down on The Treasury, which starts beyond the Royal Tombs and is listed in the Lonely Planet guide.

Me looking down on The Treasury.

Travel Tips in Jordan

Tourism in Jordan appears to be orientated towards people on inclusive coach tours that visit set destinations. To travel independently I would highly recommend car rental from Amman airport. I was forced to hire a car after much frustration trying to travel independently. Car hire was around £35 (Approximately $50 US) a day, compared to long term taxi hire I found it to be very cost effective and offered so much more freedom.

Taxis are expensive, and bus travel is made difficult due to the pervading view that "wealthy" westerners wish to travel everywhere in taxis. As an example, I went to a bus station to enquire about timetables from Aqaba to Wadi Rum. I was informed by a bus company employee it was much better to take a taxi. And wouldn't you know it,  before I could blink, he was on the phone to a cousin of his who could provide me with a taxi. Also taxi drivers hang around bus stops saying that the bus you wish to catch has been delayed by an unknown number of hours or cancelled. The bus drivers present also tend to try and encourage you to take a taxi from "a man they know". In Aqaba this was particularly frustrating. Minibuses orientated to the independent traveller do run from Wadi Rum to Petra, if you can stand your ground and find them. Bus travel from Amman was easier.

I visited Jordan in April 2013, due to the war in Syria, a tragic ongoing refugee crisis is occurring in Jordan. It is wise to check the Foreign Office website (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jordan) before travelling to check any safety concerns and areas to avoid.

Despite the above, I found Jordan to be a relatively safe country to travel in. Also, I found the vast majority of Jordanians to be warm and friendly. 

Jordan has much besides Petra and Wadi Rum to offer. I would highly recommend snorkelling or diving in the Red Sea. Likewise Dana National Park provides breath taking landscapes. However, access to Dana is difficult; it's what inspired me to hire a car, and staying in the park is expensive, but worth it for a truly wilderness experience.

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