Wayne Manor is the designated residence of Gotham’s playboy millionaire Bruce Wayne. The Manor not only serves as Bruce’s residence but is also the base of operations for Superhero Batman (Bruce’s alter ego).
There is an extensive cave system situated underneath the Wayne manor. And this is where Bruce established his secret hideout to counter any criminals that pose a threat to Gotham. As a result, Wayne Manor is also used by other members of the Batfamily.
The Manor also consists of training areas for Batman and other members of the Batfamily. Batman also stores several memorabilia of his missions against criminals. The most notable trophies include a giant T-Rex, an oversized penny, and a Joker Card. Jason Todd’s Robin suit is also put on display in the Batcave in his remembrance.
History of Wayne Manor
In the earliest comic book stories, Bruce is shown to buy the Wayne Manor himself. But in the later iterations, Wayne Manor was established as an ancestral property of Bruce Wayne. In the storyline Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne it is shown that the villa is built for Darius Wayne, Bruce’s ancestor. The gardens in the mansion are shown to be arranged in the form of a “W” representing the Wayne family.
The Villa is depicted as a gothic place situated on the edge of a hill. With the hill hollowed out to provide access for the Batwing.
The villa was temporarily vacated in the ’60s and ’70s storylines when Batman relocated his residence to a penthouse in the Wayne Foundation building. This move was primarily due to Bruce’s wish to stay close to Gotham. So that he can fight against crime more effectively.
This decision was also fuelled by Dick Grayson going to college. After which Bruce thought that two people living in the mansion is just not practical. He also turned the basement of the Wayne Foundation to his Batman headquarters.
But Bruce ended up shifting back to the Manor because it offered more privacy and security for his activities as Batman. The Manor was also controllable against any intrusions. Any attack on Batman inside the Wayne Manor is also contained to the residence only. And its location also does not put the lives of any civilians in jeopardy in case of an invasion of the villa.
Batman: Cataclysm
The events that occurred during Batman: Cataclysm are also very important in the history of Wayne Manor. Because during the events of this storyline Gotham was hit with an earthquake. And the epicenter of the earthquake was less than a mile from the Manor.
The earthquake caused extensive damage to the Villa and the Batcave underneath. This prompted Bruce to reconstruct both the Mansion and his secret hideout in a fortress-like style. The construction became more eco-friendly with solar panels installed to power the residence and the Batcave.
The batcave was also redesigned by Bruce as an impregnable base of operations.
Batman Eternal
The Manor is also temporarily turned into the new Arkham Asylum after the asylum building collapses and Wayne goes bankrupt. Bruce makes peace with the status quo due to the fact that the Manor serves as a more secure option for the containment of the criminals.
Wayne Manor is later repossessed by Bruce.
Portrayal In Different Media
The Manor has been portrayed differently in different Media. The comics had established a more definitive development arc for the Manor. But the animated series and live-action movie adaptations.
TV Series
In the 1968 TV series, the exteriors were shot at 380 S. San Rafael Dr. in Pasadena. The interiors were shot at various soundstages. This TV series showed the entrance to the Batcave behind a bookshelf in Bruce’s study.
Animated Portrayals
In all the animated portrayals of Batman including different TV series and animated movies. The Wayne Manor is depicted as a gothic isolated building located on the top of a hill. The entrances of the Batcave are shown behind Bruce’s Grandfather’s clock. It is located in the living room of the Mansion.
The clock moves to one side revealing the entrance when the time is set to 10:48 pm. This was the exact time Thomas and Martha were shot down.
The only notable exception to this portrayal is seen in The Batman where the mansion is portrayed as a 7-floor building as opposed to the 2-story Villa.
In the Lego Batman movie, that mansion is shown to be built on an island. The island is named Wayne Island. Wayne Manor and Island is controlled by the Lego version of the Batcomputer called the “Puter”.
Movie Adaptations
Tim Burton’s films Batman and Batman Returns used Knebworth House outside of London for the exterior shots of the Wayne Manor. This was in line with the gothic portrayal of the mansion.
Joel Schumacher’s films Batman Forever and Batman & Robin used Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York for the exterior shots of the Mansion.
The Dark Knight trilogy used two locations for portraying the manor. Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire was used to shoot both the exterior and interior shots of the Mansion. But the Mansion was burned to the ground at the end of the film. This was the result of a fire caused by Ra’s al Ghul.
The residence was not shown in the Dark Knight and was undergoing repairs during the entire length of the film.
Wollaton Hall in Nottingham was used for shooting the Mansion scenes in the Dark Knight Rises. At the end of this film when Bruce fakes his own death, the mansion is converted into an orphanage as per Bruce’s will. The orphanage was named after his parents.
Memorabilia
We have got just the perfect memorabilia of the Wayne Manor for you. It is a very unique and well-crafted replica of the Wayne Manor. And is the first choice for collectors. It indeed serves as the jewel in the crown of your Batman collection.
Conclusion
The Wayne Manor is the most important place in the entire Batman storyline. It has a rich history associated with its existence and it is the place where Bruce later establishes his headquarters when he decides to become Batman.
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