Gladiator II
Palazzo Vilhena
In Maltese: Palazz Vilhena
Palazzo Vilhena, the French Baroque palace just inside Mdina's Main Gate that now houses the National Museum of Natural History, was a filming location for Ridley Scott's Gladiator II (2024).
What was filmed at Palazzo Vilhena?
Gladiator II (2024)
Macrinus, Lucilla and General Acacius discuss the situation in Rome (scene placement from a crowd-sourced location database; the palace itself is named by several press guides). It played Imperial Rome.
Reported by guides; not yet confirmed on set records.
About Palazzo Vilhena
Palazzo Vilhena is the grand French Baroque palace that greets you on the left as you walk through Mdina's Main Gate. It was built in the 1720s for Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, around a forecourt closed off by an ornate iron gate, and today it houses Malta's National Museum of Natural History. Gladiator II used the palace as one of its Malta locations; a filming-location database places here the scene where Macrinus, Lucilla and General Acacius discuss the situation in Rome. With its courtyard and classical façade, the palace makes a believable corner of an imperial city. You can see the forecourt and façade free from Pjazza San Publju, or pay to visit the museum's collections of minerals, fossils, shells and birds inside.
Best time to go
Morning, as you enter Mdina through the Main Gate.
Questions people ask
Was Gladiator II filmed in Mdina?+
Yes, Palazzo Vilhena just inside the Main Gate is named as one of the film's Malta locations.
What is inside Palazzo Vilhena?+
The National Museum of Natural History, open Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday, 9:00–17:00.
Sources
- Where Was Gladiator 2 Filmed? — Country & Town House
- Visit These 10 Malta Filming Locations — AFAR
- Gladiator II at Palazz Vilhena — Sceen-it
- National Museum of Natural History: hours & prices
Exact spot not yet checked on site — we visit every location before launch.