The area is the intersection of Broadway, Central Park West, 8th Avenue and 59th Street and is located at the south west corner of Central Park. Named for the memorial to Christopher Columbus that was donated by the Italians in 1892 (an 80 foot high marble column), the statue of Columbus by Gaetano Russo was added two years later in 1894 to the top of the column.
This location was featured in a number of different movies, including Ma & Pa Kettle Go To Town and On The Town, starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly.
On The Town (1949) was the first film to be shot on location in New York City, though many scenes from the film were shot at the Hollywood studios.
Also nearby (& viewable from Columbus Circle)
- The Maine Memorial at the entrance to Central Park was featured in Taxi Driver
- 240 Central Park South was featured in Superman The Movie: it was Lois Lane's apartment were Superman landed on her balcony
Featured on the TCM Classic Film Tour with On Location Tours
Brownstone from Breakfast at Tiffany's
Located at 169 East 71st Street between Lexington and Third Avenues, this Upper East Side row house was used as the building where young socialite Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) lived in Breakfast at Tiffany's.
The building itself was used for exterior shots, but the interior scenes were filmed on set in Hollywood. In 2014, the 15-foot-wide 3,800 square foot townhouse was on the market for $10 million.
Featured on the TCM Classic Film Tour with On Location Tours
The Queensboro Bridge, also known at the 59th Street Bridge, was featured in scenes from Woody Allen's Manhattan and also in My Man Godfrey.
This city landmark was designed by Gustav Lindenthal. This steel cantilevered bridge spans the East River between 59th Street and Long Island City, Queens (and also connects to Roosevelt Island in between) and was completed in 1909.
Featured on the TCM Classic Film Tour with On Location Tours
Located on the Upper West Side, The Dakota is located at 1 West 72nd Street and was built in 1884 as the first luxury apartment building. At the time, it was built far from where most of the wealthier NYC residents were living and thus got the name The Dakota for its remote location.
It has been home to a number of famous residents throughout the years, and is perhaps most notable for being where John Lennon was shot in December 1980.
It is a co-op building and well-known for being selective in who it allows to live in the building, including denying Madonna and Seinfeld from purchasing apartments here. Today, Yoko Ono owns 20% of the building.
It was used as the apartment building featured in Roman Polanski's classic film Rosemary's Baby (1968).
Featured on the TCM Classic Film Tour with On Location Tours