Where Was Rear Window Filmed?

The Short Answer

Rear Window was filmed entirely on a custom-built courtyard apartment set on Stage 18 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California. Though the story unfolds in Greenwich Village, New York, nearly every shot came from that one enormous indoor set, designed after photographs of real buildings including 125 Christopher Street.

Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 thriller takes place in a single apartment overlooking a Greenwich Village courtyard, and the production matched that restraint behind the camera. Rather than shooting in New York, Hitchcock had an entire city block constructed indoors at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

The result was one of the most ambitious sets of its era: a multilevel courtyard with 31 apartments, a detailed Manhattan skyline, and moving traffic, all packed onto a single soundstage.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Paramount Studios Stage 18	Hollywood, Los Angeles	Entire film on the enormous courtyard apartment set with 31 apartments and multilevel courtyard	Ticketed
125 Christopher Street	New York	Real building that inspired the courtyard set design; photographed extensively for reference	Free to see

Filming Locations Map

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Location By Location

Virtually all of Rear Window was shot here, on a courtyard set holding 31 apartments, 12 of them fully furnished with electricity and running water. The soundstage floor was excavated so the courtyard sat 20 to 30 feet below stage level. Stage 18 remains part of the active Paramount lot today. Visitors can see it on a studio tour, and advance booking is recommended since the historic lot is a working production facility.

This real building inspired the design of the film's courtyard set and was photographed extensively as reference. No filming took place here, but the address anchors the movie to an authentic slice of Greenwich Village. The building still stands and can be viewed from the street or from nearby vantage points such as West 10th Street. No ticket is required, and it pairs well with a casual walk through the neighborhood.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in Greenwich Village, New York City, at the fictional address 125 W. 9th Street. The filming, however, happened entirely in California on the Paramount Studios set, which was based on photographs of real New York buildings, most notably 125 Christopher Street.

The Studio Side

Two studios appear in the production history of Rear Window. Paramount Studios in Hollywood is where the film was actually made, on Stage 18, and it remains a working lot open to visitors. Universal Studios in Universal City is also connected to the film's legacy and welcomes tourists, though the Rear Window set itself was built at Paramount.

Tours That Visit These Locations

For travelers who want to stand where the film was made, a studio tour is the only way onto the Paramount lot, and one available option includes a stop at Stage 18.

Paramount Lot Walking Tour

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

This Paramount Pictures studio tour passes Stage 18, the soundstage where Hitchcock's massive Rear Window courtyard set stood, alongside working sets and historic backlot locations. With 91 reviews, it suits film fans who want a general studio visit that happens to include this landmark stop. Book ahead because the lot is active and access is ticketed only.

91 reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Was Rear Window filmed in New York?

No. Although the story is set in Greenwich Village, the entire film was shot on a custom-built set at Paramount Studios Stage 18 in Hollywood, California.

How big was the Rear Window set?

The set measured 98 feet wide, 185 feet long, and 40 feet high, with 31 apartments, 12 of them fully furnished with electricity and running water. The soundstage floor was excavated so the courtyard sat 20 to 30 feet below stage level.

Can you visit where Rear Window was filmed?

Yes. Stage 18 sits on the Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood, which offers tours. Advance booking is recommended because it is an active production studio.

What real building inspired the set?

125 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village inspired the courtyard design and was photographed extensively for reference. The building still stands and can be viewed from the street.

How was sunlight created on an indoor set?

Approximately 1,000 arc lights were used to simulate sunlight across the giant courtyard set.

How long did the set take to build?

The set took six weeks to build at a cost of roughly $72,000 to $100,000 and ranked among the largest indoor sets at Paramount at the time.

Rear Window rewards two very different kinds of visits. In Los Angeles, a Paramount studio tour gets you onto the lot where the enormous Stage 18 set once stood. In New York, a stroll past 125 Christopher Street connects the film to the real Greenwich Village blocks that inspired it. Neither requires more than a ticket in one city or a short walk in the other, and together they cover every location tied to the production.