The film "West Side Story" was filmed in New York, USA.

Filming Locations:

St. Nicholas Avenue

In the Movie

Scene where Anita and the ladies love being in America...

In Reality

The scene was filmed in the northern part of Manhattan known as Hamilton Heights. It is named after the founding father Alexander Hamilton. He spent the last two years of his life at the Hamilton Grange mansion, now the Hamilton Grange National Memorial. The memorial is very close to where the scene from "West Side Story" was filmed. Across the street is where another part of the same scene was filmed: the Puerto Rican gym where, according to Harlem+Bespoke, Bernardo trained. But that gym is no longer there.

Church of the Intercession - Crypt

In the Movie

Scene where Tony and Maria are in the chapel.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Church of the Intercession, an Episcopal congregation founded in 1846. The current sanctuary was built between 1912 and 1915. It was designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in the Gothic Revival style. A door on the side of the church opens onto a staircase leading to a dimly lit Gothic-style crypt with vaulted ceilings supported by massive columns. The crypt is used for classical music concerts.

Monsignor King Hall Brooklyn - St. Thomas Aquinas Sports

In the Movie

Scene where Tony and Maria meet each other at the dance.

In Reality

The scene was filmed "We had so many dancers to fill the space and equipment, we needed a stage for the band and appropriate entrances for the Sharks onto the stage, because the Sharks' entrance into the gym is a big event. Most of the venues we saw were too small and not suitable," production designer Adam Stockhausen told TimeOut magazine. Stockhausen: "The dance at the gym was probably the biggest number we worked on. With over sixty dancers and more than 150 extras, that many people, complex choreography, and many moving parts, it took time to shoot."

Ellison Street

In the Movie

Scene where Riff and the Jets are in motion.

In Reality

The scene was filmed in Paterson, located in a region originally claimed by the Dutch as New Netherland. When the British took over, they named it the Province of New Jersey. Paterson is known as the Silk City due to its dominant role in silk production in the second half of the 19th century. Since then, it has become a major center for Hispanic immigrants, as well as immigrants from Bangladesh, India, and South Asia. According to the 2010 census, Paterson's population is about 146,000.

24 Commerce Street

In the Movie

Scene where Gimbels department store.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at 24 Commerce Street, a 19-story office building also known as the Federal Trust Company Building and the First National State Bank Building. The office building was built in the early twentieth century. Its construction was completed in 1926. The building is part of the so-called Four Corners Historic District.