Where Was Poor Things Filmed?

The Short Answer

Poor Things was filmed mainly at Origo Studios in Budapest and Korda Studios in Etyek, Hungary. Only about 5% used real locations, mostly around Budapest: the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, the former Stock Exchange Palace, woods near the city, and a church crypt. Filming ran from August to December 2021, with possible additional scenes in Glasgow, Scotland.

Poor Things tells a story set in an alternate Victorian-era world, hopping from London to Lisbon, Paris and Alexandria. Yet almost none of it was shot in those places. Director Yorgos Lanthimos and his team reconstructed entire cities on Hungarian soundstages, a choice that gave the film its deliberately artificial, storybook look.

Only about 5% of the film was shot in real locations. The rest was built indoors. For travellers, that means the studios themselves are off limits, but a handful of genuine Budapest sites appear on screen and can be seen in person, often for free.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Origo Studios	Budapest	Most interior sets including London medical school, Baxter's house, Paris, Alexandria, ship, and brothel scenes	Private property
Korda Studios	Etyek	Lisbon city set on the largest soundstage in continental Europe	Private property
Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library	Budapest	Interiors of Lord Alfie Blessington’s house	Free to see
Hungarian Television headquarters (former Stock Exchange Palace)	Budapest	London medical school exteriors where Godwin Baxter practices and Bella is born	Outside only
Woods near Budapest	Budapest	Final scenes of Bella and Max strolling and conversing	Free to see
Crypt beneath a church on the outskirts of Budapest	Budapest	Wedding church scene in crypt	Ticketed

Filming Locations Map

6 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Origo Studios hosted the bulk of the production, including the London medical school, Baxter's house, the Paris and Alexandria scenes, and the ship and brothel interiors. Filming took place here from August to December 2021. It is a private, working film production facility in Budapest and is not open to the public, so there is no tour or visitor access. Fans can only view the complex from outside.

Korda Studios, in Etyek west of Budapest, holds the largest soundstage in continental Europe. There, production designers spent 22 weeks building the walkable Lisbon city set, complete with streets, hotels, restaurants and waterfronts. Like Origo, it is a private studio complex with no public tours. The drive from central Budapest takes roughly half an hour, but there is nothing to see beyond the perimeter.

The library's ornate interiors stood in for Lord Alfie Blessington's house. This is the most rewarding stop for fans, because the building is a public library and anyone can walk in during opening hours. The reading rooms retain the neo-baroque grandeur visible in the film. It sits in central Budapest, making it an easy addition to any sightseeing walk. No ticket or booking is required.

This historic building near Szabadság tér provided the London medical school exteriors where Godwin Baxter practices and where Bella is born. It remains a working television headquarters, so interior access is not possible. Visitors can view the striking facade from the street at any time. Its central location places it within walking distance of other Budapest landmarks, including the parliament building.

The final scenes, with Bella and Max strolling and conversing, were shot in a natural forest area roughly a 20-minute drive from central Budapest. The woods are publicly accessible, so hikers can wander the same terrain seen in the film's closing moments. The exact spot is not formally marked, so it is more a scenic detour than a pilgrimage site. Bring comfortable shoes.

The wedding church scene was filmed in a crypt beneath a church on Budapest's outskirts, used after a makeover by the production team. The specific church has not been publicly detailed, and access is ticketed rather than open. Because the location is not identified, most fans skip it. Treat it as trivia rather than a realistic stop on a filming location itinerary.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in an alternate Victorian-era London, Lisbon, Paris, Alexandria and other European spots, but the filming happened almost entirely in Hungary. Full walkable city sets were built indoors, and miniatures were used for Alexandria, Tower Bridge and some exteriors instead of CGI. Some additional scenes may have been shot in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Studio Side

Two studios carried the production. Origo Studios in Budapest handled most interior sets, while Korda Studios in Etyek, with the largest soundstage in continental Europe, hosted the 22-week construction of the Lisbon set. Neither studio is open to the public, which is common for active production facilities. Visitors hoping for a studio experience will find none here, though both are short drives from central Budapest if curious about the exteriors.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Since the studios are closed to visitors, the practical way to connect with the film on the ground is a guided walk through Budapest's screen history. One available tour covers film locations around the city.

Budapest Movie Locations Walk

Lights! Camera! Budapest! - Movie Locations Walking Tour

This walking tour visits film locations around Budapest and includes stops connected to productions shot in the city, a good fit for travellers who want a guided introduction to the Hungarian capital's role as a stand-in for Victorian Europe. At $44.89, it pairs well with a self-guided visit to the library and the former Stock Exchange Palace.

From$45Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Poor Things filmed in London or Lisbon?

No. Although the story is set in London, Lisbon, Paris and Alexandria, almost everything was shot in Hungary. The Lisbon streets, Paris brothel and London medical school interiors were built sets at Origo and Korda Studios. Only about 5% of the film used real locations, all around Budapest.

Can you visit the studios where Poor Things was filmed?

Not currently. Origo Studios and Korda Studios are private, working production facilities and do not offer public tours. Korda's giant soundstage, the largest in continental Europe, can only be admired from outside the perimeter at Etyek.

What Poor Things locations can tourists actually see in Budapest?

The Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library is the standout, since its interiors played Blessington's house and it is open to the public. The former Stock Exchange Palace, used for medical school exteriors, can be viewed from the street near Szabadság tér. The woods from the final scene are also publicly accessible.

Is the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library free to enter?

Yes. It is a working public library, and visitors can enter during opening hours to see the interiors used in the film. No film-related ticket or booking exists.

When was Poor Things filmed?

Principal photography ran from August to December 2021, primarily at Origo Studios in Budapest, with set construction at Korda Studios preceding and overlapping that period. The Lisbon set alone took 22 weeks to build.

Did Poor Things use CGI for its cities?

Less than you might expect. Production designers built full walkable city sets with streets, hotels, restaurants and waterfronts, and miniatures were used for Alexandria, Tower Bridge and some exteriors instead of relying on CGI.

Poor Things rewards a particular kind of fan: one happy to admire a gorgeous public library, a grand facade and some ordinary Hungarian woods while accepting that the film's real stars, its constructed cities, were dismantled on soundstages long ago. A movie locations walking tour plus a self-guided library visit covers nearly everything that remains.