Filming Location
The Funeral of Don Vito Corleone

After Vito Corleone dies there is a beautiful funeral ceremony held in a New York cemetery. The cemetery from this scene is located in New York City and is one of its oldest cemeteries. To find the exact filming location read on or click the map pointer icon in the navigation section.

“They want to arrange a meeting between me and Barzini. On Tessio’s ground. Where I’ll be safe.”

Michael Corleone

Where did they film the “Godfather’s funeral” scenes?

The scenes for Vito Corleone´s funeral were all filmed at the Calvary Cemetery. It is located to the northwest of Queens, New York City in Sunnyside. The Cemetery is divided into more sections and the one in which The Godfather was filmed is called “First Calvary Cemetery“. The recognizable entrance is on Greenpoint Avenue.

To get to the burial site, just follow the path through the entrance until you get to the Johnston Mausoleum. After that make a turn to the left until you reach the tomb with the name “Hildreth”. Look for reference at the image of Don Barzini shaking hands in the Gallery below. After you reach the Hildreth tomb, the filming location should be located to the north across the path. Look for the “Daly” gravestone which is the best indicator of the exact filming location. For reference also find the image in the Gallary below.

Hint: Click the map pointer icon in the navigation area for the exact map location.

The scenes filmed at the Calvary Cemetery

In the Don Vito Corleone funeral scene Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) finds out who will betray him. Before Vito Corleone´s death, the Don tells Michael that Don Barzini (Richard Conte) will make an attempt to kill him. The person who will come to Michael and try to arrange a meeting with Barzini is the traitor. At the funeral, it was Salvatore “Sal” Tessio (Abe Vigoda) who approached Michael with the meeting proposition. Later Michal told Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) that Tessio made a smart move and that Tessio was always smarter than Peter Clemenza (Richard S. Castellano).