MineArchiveCastamere
Fictional record. This page describes a mine from a fictional setting, not a real place. Information is based on the cited canon, with adaptations and interpretation distinguished where necessary. It is kept separate from the real MineArchive corpus — see Fictional.
| Setting | A Song of Ice and Fire (George R. R. Martin) |
|---|---|
| Location | In the westerlands of Westeros, seat of House Reyne, a vassal house of Casterly Rock. |
| Type | Metal |
| Worked | Originally a working gold and silver mine, later widened into a habitable seat as the richest deposits were worked out – Never reopened after the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion |
| Status | Researched |
Overview
A gold and silver mine in the westerlands that grew wealthy enough to be converted into the seat of House Reyne, until its lord rebelled against House Lannister and Tywin Lannister had the mine's entrances sealed and flooded, drowning everyone sheltering inside — an atrocity still commemorated in the song 'The Rains of Castamere.'
History
Castamere began purely as a mine. As its richest gold and silver deposits were worked out, the excavated halls, galleries and bedchambers below were widened into a habitable seat, eventually including a vast underground ballroom, for House Reyne — a family whose wealth from the mine rivalled that of their Lannister overlords at Casterly Rock.
Workings
Beyond the mine's original gold and silver workings, the sources found do not detail its technical operation in any depth — the story's focus is on the halls built from the worked-out sections, not on the ore extraction itself.
Closure
See Disasters, below, for the flooding that ended House Reyne and the mine together.
What became of it
Left sealed and flooded after House Reyne's destruction; Tywin Lannister never reopened either the keep or the mine to salvage what remained.
Disasters & major incidents
-
The Flooding of Castamere
During the reign of King Aerys II Targaryen, exact date not given · Flooding / Inundation
When Lord Roger Reyne and his son Reynard rebelled against House Lannister and were defeated in battle, they retreated into the mines beneath Castamere. Tywin Lannister sealed every entrance with stone and earth, then dammed a nearby stream and diverted it into the mine, drowning everyone sheltering inside.
Related fictional records
Recorded claims
Each claim is marked with its basis — explicit canon, MineArchive inference, adaptation only, or fandom interpretation — and attached to the source(s) below. Where tellings disagree, both are kept.
- Castamere began purely as a mine; its excavated galleries were widened into a habitable seat, including an underground ballroom, only once its richest gold and silver deposits were worked out. (MineArchive inference, medium) 1
- Tywin Lannister never reopened either House Reyne's keep or its mine after destroying them. (MineArchive inference, medium) 2
Sources
- (interpretation) Castamere — A Wiki of Ice and Fire
- (interpretation) House Reyne — A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Record created: 25 August 2026 · Last researched: 25 August 2026