If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Where was Old Money shot?” the answer primarily points to Istanbul, Turkey! The Netflix series Old Money was filmed largely across Istanbul, using the city’s iconic skyline, luxury mansions, and historic streets to illustrate the world of wealth, power, and romance.
Filming here offered a mix of metropolitan life and opulent settings that match the story’s focus on family dynamics and social status. Although the major location for shooting was in Istanbul, news and background information indicate that other scenes could have been shot elsewhere in Turkey, such as Şanlıurfa (Urfa), with its old buildings and streets.
Though not officially credited on Netflix, online reporting on websites like 4filming.com and visual indications through social media reports indicate the series filming extended to other sections beyond Istanbul in an effort to enhance cultural richness and contrast for the series.
Istanbul: The cosmopolitan heart of Old Money
Istanbul was the fulcrum around which the visual narrative of the series revolved. Different pivotal scenes were shot on the Bosphorus Strait, including panorama shots of the strait, bridges, and seaside houses. Classic buildings like the Galata Tower, Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque keep recurring throughout the series, grounding the show in a familiar and timeless city landscape.
Palatial interior decoration and expensive apartments were employed to represent the lifestyles of the protagonists, especially Nihal and Osman. Not only do they represent extravagance, but they also attribute the personality personas, pitting entrepreneurial dynamism against traditional family customs.
Employing Istanbul as a location adds to the "old money vs. new money" denouement, allowing the viewer to spatially read social and economic stratification.
Finding the possible role of Urfa
There has been reporting, mostly from 4filming.com and Moviedelic, of filming there for some of Old Money. Şanlıurfa, also called Urfa, is renowned for its ancient streets, castles, and historical architecture. Filming there, if it were to happen at all, would be a visually welcome respite from modern city life in Istanbul, adding cultural and historical richness to the tale.
It should be remembered that Netflix has not officially declared Urfa to be a production site and, therefore, any reference to it is second-hand reporting data and back-story facts and not officially declared production statements. To have included Urfa in this instance, thus, illustrates the potential for filming there without the compromise of the accuracy and objectivity of information.
In-depth filming insights
Shooting of Old Money started in October 2024 and concluded in approximately December 2024, and took around 66 days. The Istanbul shoot included outdoor city streets, harbor shots, and upscale residential interiors. The locations were picked with great care to represent the richness of the characters and the dynamism of the city.
Off-camera reporting shows the team collaborating with local officials in efforts to avoid causing undue disruptions, particularly at historical sites like Hagia Sophia and Galata Tower. Indoor scenes were shot inside costly mansions and houses, thereby making the show realistic and high-quality.
If shooting were to take place in Urfa, then these would be apparently ancient streets, cultural icons, and traditional locales. These would then be juxtaposed with the opulence of Istanbul, dramatically highlighting the show's message of aged traditions pitted against newfound ambitions.
Why Istanbul works so well for Old Money
Istanbul's fusion of new and old decadence is perfect for Old Money. Harbors, bridges, and symbolic buildings of the city are pictorial delights in the backdrop, and interior decor equals people's socio-economic status.
Shooting on location, the series makes the distinction between being wealthy and succeeding through hard work become the point here, using the city's diversity in Istanbul as an asset. Mansions, old streets, and busy public spaces all come together to create a realistic atmosphere that immerses the viewer in the environment as they become engaged in the drama.
Cultural and visual impact of shooting locations
With the inclusion of Istanbul (and hopefully Urfa), there is cultural diversity brought into the show. Istanbul introduces a gateway into modern urban Turkish life, and Urfa, if utilized, would provide history and architecture. This way, people will get to view the diversity of Turkey based on geography and culture, regardless of whether they know anything about Turkey or not.
Placings aren't merely beautiful; placings underlie themes. From city wealth to heritage past, places in the series inform viewers about the characters' history and social forces driving the story.
In brief, Old Money was largely shot in Istanbul, Turkey, and word that it was partially shot in Şanlıurfa (Urfa). Istanbul's ancient landmarks, canals, and sumptuous interiors are the backdrop, fitting the show's dive into wealth, heritage, and status. A mention of Urfa is a nod to possible locations that bring richness culturally and historically, without getting all highfalutin' about official word.
From Bosphorus bridges and Hagia Sophia to mansions and perhaps ancient streets in Urfa, all Old Money scenery is important in the show. The decision of where the show is set in the series makes visual imagery appealing without being unrealistic to real Turkish landscapes. For the audience who care to know where it is, the primary action is shot in Istanbul with a little more background of history, if they do use Urfa.