Abhiroop Das
Created by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble, Apple TV’s ‘12 12 12‘ is an ingenious spin on the heist thriller genre, following the cat-and-mouse chase between an FBI agent, Jack Strickland, and a legendary robber, Paul Galvin, in a three-part structure. As the episodes go on, we get glimpses into each of the 12 months that went into planning the heist, each of the 12 hours that go into the heist itself, and the 12 days Jack seemingly has to pin Paul down before it’s too late. Throughout all of this, the site of the robbery, the Lindenhof Bank, takes on a life of its own, as we see how even the minutest details surrounding this place have a domino effect on the broader narrative.
The Lindenhof Bank is a Fictional Building That Situates the Story of 12 12 12
The Lindenhof Bank is an invented institution that sits right at the heart of ’12 12 12,’ serving as the place where the entire heist plotline takes place. Created by writers Dudi Appleton, Jamie Carragher, Jim Keeble, Tolula Dada, and Samantha Corbin-Miller, the bank feels reminiscent of the many iconic fictional banks that appear in heist movies and shows, be it Manhattan Trust in ‘Inside Man,’ the Three Rivers Bank in ‘The Kill Point,’ or The Bank in ‘Ocean’s Thirteen.’ What sets Lindenhof apart, however, has a lot to do with how the show is structured, as we not only see the bank during the heist, but also during the year-long build-up to it. With this, the bank becomes a well-known part of the narrative, with all character arcs coalescing to enhance its immersive identity.
Interestingly, while the Lindenhof is situated in Zurich in the show, its real-life filming mostly took place in Budapest, Hungary. The name Lindenhof is shared by the historic square and public park in Zurich’s Old Town, overlooking the Limmat River. Reportedly, the site originally housed a Roman fort in the 4th century and later became the site of a royal palace in the 9th century, with both institutions historically representing wealth and power. This doesn’t necessarily connect the town square to the fictional bank in the show, however, as it’s more likely that the show used this distinctly Swiss name to enhance the illusion that the bank was real.
To bring Lindenhof to life, the crew most likely relied on a blend of practical filming and soundstage work, with key locations in Budapest serving as stand-ins. As per reports, the main building of the historic Corvinus University of Budapest is used for many of the exterior sequences. That said, the exact building used to film the complex vault sequences remains a mystery as of writing. The production team went to great lengths to give the interiors a distinctly Swiss feel while also adding a posh aesthetic, be it in the brass, gold, and marble lining of the inner vault or the towering architecture on display outside. All of this creates a thematic contrast with the heist, done by a group of robbers who have come to adapt to their harsh lives. Thus, the Lindenhof Bank, while fictional, serves as the perfect stage for this commentary.
Read More: Where is Apple TV’s 12 12 12 Filmed?
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