The Gilded Age HBO

Where was HBO’s The Gilded Age Filmed? (Pictures and How to Visit)

HBO’s The Gilded Age is a historical drama set in 1880s New York during a period of immense industrial growth in America where fortunes were made and lost. The Gilded Age is a story of New York society’s battle between the nouveau rich and old money. It is the latest historical drama series by Downton Abbey’s writer and producer Julian Fellowes. Below you will find The Gilded Age film locations.

What is The Gilded Age About?

The Gilded Age starts in 1882 with young Marian Brook, played by Louisa Jacobson. She moves from rural Pennsylvania to New York City to live with her wealthy aunts. Her old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook are played by Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon. Marian becomes entangled in a social war between one of her aunts, a scion of the old money set, and her ultra rich neighbors, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife. Her nouveau rich neighbors, George Russell and Bertha Russel are played by Morgan Spector and Carrie Coon.

Where in New York was The Gilded Age Filmed?

The Gilded Age was filmed in several New York locations- Manhattan, Upstate New York and Westchester County. The 1880s New York City Manhattan scenes were filmed in Troy, NY, in an upstate New York historic neighborhood. Troy is a town located 150 miles north of NYC. While other scenes from The Gilded Age were filmed in Westchester County, New York. Westchester County is a New York suburbs located 30 miles north of NYC.

The Gilded Age HBO film location
Source: The Gilded Age HBO

Was The Gilded Age Filmed in New York City?

Cast and crew of The Gilded Age were seen filming in Manhattan. Filming took place in Central Park and around 5th Avenue.

Central park in 1894- The Gilded Age film locations
Central Park in 1894

Where in Central Park was The Gilded Age Filmed?

The Gilded Age was filmed in front of the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. It was where Marian Brook and Peggy Scott secretly met with the handsome lawyer, Tom Raikes in Season 1, Episode 2 of The Gilded Age. The rendezvous wasn’t so secret since they bumped into Gladys Russell during their meeting with Mr. Raikes.

The Bethesda Fountain, is one of the largest fountains in New York featuring a magnificent bronze sculpture, Angel of the Waters. Angel of the Waters is an 8 foot bronze angel designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868.

Today, Bethesda Fountain is as beautiful as it was in the gilded age. NYC residents and visitors can take a stroll around the Bethesda Fountain area in Central Park.

Bethesda Fountain
Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

Where in Upstate New York was The Gilded Age Filmed?

The 1880s New York City scenes of The Gilded Age were filmed in a historic Upstate New York neighborhood in Troy, NY. The filming of The Gilded Age took place between 2nd and 3rd street in the neighborhood surrounding Washington Park. Washington Park area is reminiscent of a Victorian residential square featuring a park surrounded by historic brownstones and Victorian rowhouses. In fact, Washington Park Historic District is listed as a New York National Register of Historic Places.

Washington Park is a private park where only residents in the surrounding buildings have keys to the fenced-in park. Residents with keys to Washington Park are assessed a maintenance fee for the park’s upkeep. This is similar to Gramercy Park in New York City, one of three other private parks in New York state.

Washington Park Troy NY
Washington Park, Troy, NY

The film crew of The Gilded Age transformed Washington Park Historic District to look like Manhattan in the 1880s with cobblestones, dirt and horse drawn carriages.

Rensselaer County Court House
Rensselaer County Court House

The Gilded Age filming took place in various landmarks and buildings in Troy. Scenes were filmed at The Oakwood Cemetery, Rensselaer County Court House, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Russell Sage College (The Frear House) and The Castle (Fraternity House of Pi Kappa Phi).

Oakwood Cemetery Troy NY
Oakwood Cemetery

Where in Westchester County was The Gilded Age Filmed?

The Gilded Age was filmed in various historic locations and landmarks in Westchester County, New York. Producers of the show scouted Westchester County because it was where wealthy New Yorkers escaped city life during the 1880s. Scenes were filmed on dirt roads, in historic cabins and inside mansions and castles around Westchester County.

belvedere estate
Photo Credit: Belvedere Estate

Filming of The Gilded Age took place at the the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, Edith Macy Conference Center in Briarcliff Manor, Glenview Historic House in Yonkers, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Pace University in Pleasantville, Belvedere Estate in Tarrytown and Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown.

“We were committed to an authentic feel and wanted the show to be a New York show, an American show. And Westchester came through for us. We created Manhattan locations of the era including a grand mansion and hotel exteriors, the interior of coffee and cake saloon, a downtown printing press, tavern, and the exterior of a ferry terminal. Westchester offered unbelievable assets and we will be back.”

David Crockett, Executive Producer

The cast and crew of The Gilded Age spent many months in late 2020 and early 2021 to film the show. Filming took place during the height of the pandemic. According to Lauri Pitkus, location scout. “On any given day our production involved 150 to 300 people. So, we were not only looking for historic looks but larger properties where we could park our trucks, construct tents for cast and crew operations, and have park-like grounds where we could operate like a campus. Westchester offered flexibility in that we could stay for multiple days, find as many creative looks as possible in one place, and observe COVID protocols.”

Pace University
Photo Credit: Pace University

County Executive George Latimer said: “It’s no surprise that producers of “The Gilded Age” chose to film in Westchester. We have fantastic locations — including several historically significant sites — and a huge diversity of spaces that can be used creatively to accommodate everything a production needs.” 

Can You Visit the Film Locations of The Gilded Age?

Fans of the HBO historical drama, The Gilded Age, can visit Lyndhurst Mansion and Glenview Historic Home. Both Westchester County film locations of The Gilded Age are open to the public.

Visit The Gilded Age set at The Lyndhurst Mansion

Lyndhurst Mansion is an estate located by the Hudson River in Tarrytown, NY. Many scenes of The Gilded Age were filmed inside the Lyndhurst Mansion. Lyndhurst Mansion was owned by railroad tycoon, Jay Gould during the gilded age. It was the family’s country home, splitting their time between Tarrytown and New York City.

lyndhurst mansion
Photo Credit: Lyndhurst Mansion

During you visit, take one of the Lyndhurst Mansion tours. The Classic Mansion Tour takes you through Lyndhurst’s sumptuously decorated first and second floors including entry to special exhibitions. The Backstairs Tour takes you to the observation tower, kitchens, and laundry building. There are also Landscape Tour options that takes you to the lower landscapefountains, and specialty gardens and include entry to the c.1894 Bowling Alley and 1911 Swimming Pool Building. You can also explore the 67-acres grounds of Lyndhurst Mansion on your own with a Daily Grounds Pass. Explore the fountains, specialty gardens, outbuildings and take in the views of the Hudson River as you explore the grounds.

Lyndhurst Mansion is located at 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY. Please check their website before visiting to make sure they are open on the day you plan to visit.

Visit The Gilded Age set at The Glenview Historic House

The Glenview Historic House is another Westchester County film location of The Gilded Age. It is a great estate built in 1877 by architect Charles W. Clinton. Owned by John Bond Trevor, a successful stockbroker, nothing was spared to build Glenview. Mr. Trevor and his wife, Emily Norwood, entertained lavishly with notable visitors ranging from ambassadors to prominent politicians. Glenview Historic House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

glenview historic home the gilded age film location
Photo Credit: Glenview Historic Home

Take a tour of Glenview Historic House. Visiting Glenview will give you a glimpse of how wealthy New Yorkers lived during the gilded age.

Glenview Historic House is located at 511 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers, NY. Please check their website before visiting to make sure they are open on the day you plan to visit.

Where to Stay While Visiting The Gilded Age Film Locations

Why not make a Gilded Age weekend out of it? Stay in a real life gilded age estate. Below are hotels to stay at that were once estates of wealthy New Yorkers during the gilded age.

The Castle Hotel and Spa

Make it a weekend and stay at The Castle Hotel and Spa in Tarrytown, NY. The Castle Hotel and Spa is a luxury hotel with spectacular Hudson River views. It was once the private residence of General Howard Carroll and Mrs. Caramai Carroll, notable social figures in New York Society. It was a lavish castle built in 1897 boasting 45 rooms with a great hall, ballroom, servants quarters and stables. General and Mrs. Carroll threw extravagant parties entertaining dignitaries and New York high society guests like J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie. Today, The Castle Hotel and Spa is a 31 room luxury hotel with a spectacular outdoor pool. Spending the weekend at The Castle Hotel and Spa will make you feel like you are living in the gilded age.

the castle hotel and spa
Photo Credit: The Castle Hotel and Spa

Tarrytown House Estate on the Hudson

Spend your weekend at The Tarrytown House Estate. The Tarrytown House Estate is a 214 room historic hotel with views of the Hudson River. During the gilded age, The Tarrytown House Estate was owned by railroad tycoon, Thomas King. The property was impeccably restored in 2019. When you stay at The Tarrytown House Estate, don’t forget to make reservations at celebrity chef Dale Talde’s award winning new restaurant, Goosefeather. Goosefeather is located in the hotel.

tarrytown house estate
Photo Credit: Tarrytown House Estate

The Gilded Age is streaming on HBO, premieres January 24 at 9pm.

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More Photos of The Gilded Age Film Locations

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Gilded Age film location
Photo Credit: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Edith Macy Conference Center
Photo Credit: Edith Macy Conference Center (Briarcliff Manor)
The Castle Troy NY
John Paine Mansion, aka The Castle, Troy, NY
sleepy hollow country club
Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Briarcliff Manor, NY
sleepy hollow country club
Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Briarcliff Manor, NY

Photo Credits:

  • Featured Photo Source: The Gilded Age HBO
  • Washington Park, Troy, NY, Photo Credit: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Rensselaer County Court House, Photo Credit: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Oakwood Cemetery, Photo Credit: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • John Paine Mansion (The Castle), Troy NY, Photo Credit: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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