Casterly Rock

"My father won the real war. He killed Prince Rhaegar! He took the crown... while you hid under Casterly Rock!"

- Joffrey Baratheon to Tywin Lannister

Casterly Rock is the ancestral stronghold of House Lannister. It is located on the Western coast of Westeros on a rocky promontory overlooking the Sunset Sea. It overlooks the major city of Lannisport. A major goldmine is located under Casterly Rock. It is one of the most productive in the realm and provides House Lannister with their wealth. According to tradition, the castle was originally held by the House Casterly, the old Kings of the Rock. They were hoodwinked into giving the Rock to Lann the Clever, a legendary trickster and ancestor of House Lannister, thousands of years ago, during the Age of Heroes.

Notable residents

 * {Lord Tywin Lannister}, Lord of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West, and Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, head of House Lannister. Shot dead by his own son, Tyrion.
 * Ser Kevan Lannister, Tywin's younger brother and closest advisor.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Casterly Rock is one of the most formidable and well-defended castles in all of Westeros. It is located on the west coast of the continent, just north of the city of Lannisport, and is built into an immense rock formation. According to legends, it has never fallen in battle.

The castle consists of fortifications built into and on top of the Rock, with additional catacombs, dungeons and redoubts built deep into the bowels of the formation. The castle's primary entrance is the heavily-defended Lion's Mouth.