As Daario Naharis says to Tyrion Lannister, "Meereen is ancient and glorious." He's correct, even if the morals held by those long in power are a bit suspect. Still, from the Daznak's Pit to the Great Pyramid, Meereen does make quite an impression on anyone who comes close to her walls.
There is a reason Daenerys and company take up residence for quite some time beginning in season four. But there's more to Meereen than the Sons of the Harpy, the Great Masters, and the murdered and crucified slaves that once pointed the way to the largest city on Slaver's Bay.
Meereen Is In Spain
When filming the backdrop for the great city of Meereen, Game of Thrones sent production teams to Peniscola, Spain. Peniscola is located in eastern Spain on the coast. Besides standing in as the backdrop for the great city (with the Great Pyramids being added in post-production) a few real-life locations in the city also made their way into the HBO series. These sites included the Plaza Santa María, Peniscola Castle, and the Parque de la Artillería. The Plaza was where Tyrion and Varys talk once Varys arrives in Meereen and res Tyrion.
Daznak's Pit Is Also In Spain
Spain and Meereen may as well be one and the same. One of the most epic scenes filmed in Meereen was the fighting pit (Daznak's Pit in particular) where Jorah returns again to Daenerys and fights for his queen as well as his life. Osuna, Spain is home to the bullring that stood in for Daznak's Pit during filming. Jorah (Iain Glen) and his fellow combatants fought in ninety-degree heat and made the fighting look just as real as the arena. It has been quite some time since the bullring in Osuna has hosted any real bullfights.
Meereen Is Northernmost Of Slaver's Bay
When it comes to the layout of the famous Slaver's Bay, Meereen is the northernmost city on the bay. All three cities, Meereen, Yunkai, and Astapor, are on the eastern side of Slaver's Bay. Astapor sits farthest to the south, with Yunkai in the middle, and Meereen at the northernmost point on the bay's eastern side. Thus, Team Daenerys' moving from Astapor, to Yunkai, and finally to Meereen makes perfect sense in of geography, as well as plot, in the Game of Thrones series (both in the books and on television).
Living In The Pyramids
Daenerys and her crew may take up residence in the Great Pyramid of Meereen, but it is not the only pyramid in the ancient city, in fact, there are quite a few. The wealthiest citizens of Meereen actually all live in the pyramids.
The Great Pyramid is thirty-three stories high and thus could house quite a fair number of rich and noble citizens. Supposedly over one thousand slaves lost their lives during the construction of the Great Pyramid alone. The Great Pyramid is more than double the size of any of the other pyramids in Meereen.
Meereen Was Originally A Colony
Meereen was not always the free and independent slave city that Daenerys conquers in Game of Thrones. Meereen began its life as a colony of the Ghiscari Empire. It was the greatest empire in the east until the rise of the Valyrians and their dragons. The Valyrians took over Meereen from the Ghiscari some five thousand years before Daenerys. The harpy that sits at the top of the Great Pyramid, before Daenerys has it removed, was a symbol of the Ghiscari Empire.
Meereen Is A Regular Stop On Trade Routes
Meereen, like all of Slaver's Bay, sits near the center of the continent of Essos. The Free Cities of Braavos and Pentos are to its west while the Jade Sea is to its east. Meereen is a regular stop for most traders on their way between the Free Cities and the Jade Sea. This played a major role in its development as a rich and important location on the continent. It was a popular layover for traders as well as a rich and lively location for visitors and travelers in general.
Slaves Come From The East
Like the Jade Sea, the Dothraki Sea is east (as well as slightly north) of Meereen's location. Many Dothraki herd their prisoners downriver to be sold as slaves to the Great Masters of Meereen. The Dothraki may take offense if they are not offered enough slaves from the cities they approach, but that has little to do with the number of slaves a Khalasar actually needs. Thus, Meereen becomes a convenient and lucrative neighbor for the Horse Lords.
The Great Pyramid Is Huge
The Great Pyramid of Meereen, in which Daenerys resides while in the city, is over twice the size of any other pyramid in the ancient city. The structure is in fact over eight hundred feet tall, as it rises eight hundred feet above the rest of the city.
This makes the pyramid not only enormous by Meereenese standards but actually makes the Great Pyramid one of the tallest structures in the entire world of Game of Thrones.
West Of The Great Pyramid
In Meereen, the Temple of the Graces is located to the west of the Great Pyramid. The Temple of the Graces is the base of operations for the city's priestesses of Graces. They originally were part of the Ghiscari religion, when the "colony" was originally founded and remained even after the Valyrians took control of Meereen. They wear many different colors, denoting what they do in the order. In the Game of Thrones books, Daenerys marries Hizdahr in the Temple of the Graces.
Daenerys Is The First Monarch In Years
Before Daenerys arrives and conquers Meereen, it was ruled by the Great Masters. The Great Masters had held power in Meereen for over one thousand years before Daenerys appears, which makes Daenerys the first monarch to hold power of the great and ancient city in a millennium. It should be noted, however, that even one thousand years ago there were many Meereenese who did not appreciate being ruled over by a king.