Explore the real-world places that appear in The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Georgetown University, Regan MacNeil's Residence, St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral, Georgetown Hospital, Jesuit Residence at Woodstock College and 10 more.
37th & O Streets, NW — Father Damien Karras's home
Georgetown University is where Father Damien Karras, the young Jesuit priest and psychologist, teaches and lives. Karras is experiencing a crisis of faith and is in psychiatric counseling with Dr. Marvin Jensen. The university serves as Karras's anchor to the rational world before he becomes drawn into the supernatural horror of Regan MacNeil's demonic possession. His office and quarters here represent his ordered, intellectual life before the exorcism.
Georgetown University was founded in 1789 and is one of the oldest Catholic universities in the United States. The Jesuit institution has long been a center of intellectual and spiritual life in Washington, D.C. Its location in the historic Georgetown neighborhood made it a natural setting for Blatty's Catholic priest characters.
Georgetown University remains one of the nation's premier private universities, with its historic campus still dominated by Healy Hall. The grounds are partially open to visitors, and the beautiful Gothic architecture reflects the spiritual atmosphere depicted in the novel.
Visit: Georgetown University Campus (landmark)
Prospect Street, Georgetown — The site of demonic possession
This Georgetown townhouse is where twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil lives with her mother Chris MacNeil, an actress. The home becomes the epicenter of the supernatural horror as Regan begins exhibiting signs of demonic possession—grotesque physical transformations, speaking in strange voices, levitating, and performing obscene acts. The entire second half of the novel unfolds within these walls as priests Damien Karras and Lankester Merrin attempt to exorcise the demon Pazuzu from Regan's body.
The actual townhouse used as Regan's residence in the 1973 film adaptation is located on Prospect Street in Georgetown, one of D.C.'s most prestigious neighborhoods. Georgetown developed as an enclave for the wealthy and powerful during the 20th century, making it an appropriate setting for Chris MacNeil's character.
The townhouse at 3600 Prospect Street remains a private residence. It has become a pilgrimage site for Exorcist fans, though it is not open to the public. The famous exterior stairs where Father Damien falls to his death are still visible from the street.
1725 Rhode Island Ave, NW — The city's primary Catholic cathedral
St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral is the Archdiocese of Washington's principal church and serves as the setting where the spiritual authority figures consult and plan the exorcism of Regan MacNeil. Cardinal Dolan and other church leaders coordinate the intervention from this seat of Catholic power. The cathedral represents institutional faith and the Church's response to demonic evil.
St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral was consecrated in 1906 and is one of the most important Catholic churches in the United States. President John F. Kennedy's funeral Mass was held here in 1963, making it a church of immense national significance. The building reflects the French Renaissance Revival architectural style.
St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral remains an active cathedral and a major tourist destination. Visitors can attend Mass or tour the beautiful interior with its stunning mosaics, marble, and stained glass. The cathedral is open to the public during specified hours.
Visit: St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral (historic site)
3800 Reservoir Road, NW — Medical evaluation of Regan
Georgetown Hospital is where Regan MacNeil undergoes extensive medical examinations and tests to rule out physical causes for her bizarre symptoms. Neurologists, psychiatrists, and other specialists perform batteries of tests including CT scans and spinal taps. Chris MacNeil desperately seeks rational medical explanations for her daughter's condition, but the doctors can find nothing physically wrong, leading her to reluctantly consider supernatural causes.
Georgetown University Hospital (now MedStar Georgetown University Hospital) was established in 1968 as the teaching hospital for Georgetown University School of Medicine. It is one of Washington, D.C.'s leading medical institutions and serves the Georgetown community.
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital remains a major teaching hospital and trauma center in Washington, D.C. While the specific hospital settings in the novel reflect 1970s medical technology, the facility continues to be a premier medical institution.
9600 Putnam Pike, Woodstock, Maryland — Priest training and spiritual center
Woodstock College is the Jesuit seminary where Father Lankester Merrin, the ancient Jesuit exorcist, is consulted about the demonic possession of Regan MacNeil. Merrin's past is revealed here—his previous encounters with demonic evil and his spiritual authority. The college represents the deep theological and spiritual training of the Jesuits who ultimately must confront Pazuzu.
Woodstock College was founded in 1869 as a Jesuit seminary in Maryland. It served as the principal seminary for Jesuit priest training in the eastern United States for over a century. The facility was a center of Catholic intellectual life and Jesuit spirituality.
Woodstock College closed in 1974, shortly after The Exorcist was published. The property and buildings are now part of a private estate and are not open to the public. The historic seminary buildings remain standing but are not accessible to visitors.
4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW — Academic setting in Washington
American University provides the academic backdrop for Washington, D.C. society and represents the rational, secular world that contrasts with the supernatural horror of the possession. The university symbolizes the intellectual skepticism that initially prevents characters from accepting the demonic reality of Regan's condition.
American University was founded in 1893 and is located on a prominent campus in Northwest Washington. The institution was established as a Methodist-affiliated university and has developed into a major research university with particular strengths in international affairs and public administration.
American University remains a prestigious private research university with a beautiful campus. Tours are available for prospective students and visitors, and the campus is accessible to the public during daytime hours.
Visit: American University Campus (landmark)
1703 32nd Street, NW — Georgetown historic estate
While not directly featured, the Georgetown neighborhood where Dumbarton Oaks stands represents the affluent, cultured world of Chris MacNeil and the Washington establishment. The elegant Georgetown setting contrasts sharply with the demonic horror unfolding in Regan's possession, highlighting how evil penetrates even the most privileged and educated circles.
Dumbarton Oaks is a historic estate built in 1800 and expanded significantly in the early 20th century. It served as the site of important diplomatic conferences during World War II and has been a center of Byzantine art and research. The estate's gardens are considered among the finest in America.
Dumbarton Oaks is now part of Harvard University and operates as a museum and research library. The gardens and museum are open to the public during specified seasons and hours. It is one of Georgetown's most significant cultural landmarks.
Visit: Dumbarton Oaks (museum)
M Street, NW — The heart of Georgetown's commercial and social life
M Street represents the normal, everyday world of Georgetown society where Chris MacNeil and her daughter Regan navigate as the story begins. The street's shops, restaurants, and pedestrians represent the ordinary life that will be shattered by demonic possession. This is where Regan's mother takes her to see doctors and where she attempts to maintain a normal existence before the horror fully consumes their lives.
M Street has been the heart of Georgetown's commercial district since the 18th century. The street developed as a major commercial corridor with shops, taverns, and businesses serving the Georgetown community. By the 20th century, it became known for its sophisticated restaurants, boutiques, and upscale shops.
M Street remains one of Washington, D.C.'s most vibrant commercial streets, lined with restaurants, shops, bars, and galleries. The street is heavily trafficked by both locals and tourists enjoying Georgetown's charm and amenities.
Visit: Georgetown Shopping & Dining District (landmark)
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Georgetown — Peaceful waterway and park
The C&O Canal provides a peaceful natural setting in Georgetown that contrasts with the escalating horror of Regan's possession. The canal path and waterway represent normalcy, beauty, and the natural world—all of which become corrupted and inverted by Pazuzu's demonic presence. The serene environment highlights the intrusion of supernatural evil into everyday Washington life.
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was constructed between 1828 and 1850 to facilitate commerce between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland, Maryland. The canal became a vital transportation route and economic engine for the region. Though superseded by railroads, the canal corridor has been preserved as a historic and recreational resource.
The C&O Canal National Historical Park stretches 184.5 miles from Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. The canal towpath is now a popular hiking and biking trail. The Georgetown section is one of the most visited parts of the park, attracting thousands of visitors annually.
Visit: C&O Canal National Historical Park (park)
3800 Reservoir Road, NW — Mental health evaluation center
The psychiatric wing of Georgetown Hospital is where Dr. Marvin Jensen provides counseling to Father Damien Karras as he experiences a crisis of faith. Karras consults with Jensen about his doubts and spiritual turmoil. Later, the psychiatric team evaluates Regan MacNeil to determine if her symptoms are psychiatric in nature, representing the medical establishment's attempt to rationalize the demonic phenomena.
Georgetown University Hospital's psychiatry department reflects the growth of mental health services in American medicine during the 1960s and 1970s. The psychiatric wing became increasingly important as understanding of mental illness advanced and psychotherapy became more widely accepted.
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital continues to provide comprehensive psychiatric and mental health services. The hospital remains one of the region's leading medical institutions for both general medicine and specialized psychiatric care.
5200 Glover Road, NW — Washington's largest urban park
Rock Creek Park represents the natural world and Washington's connection to the outdoors. The park's woodlands and trails symbolize the pastoral beauty that stands in stark contrast to the demonic horror unfolding in urban Georgetown. The natural landscape emphasizes the isolation and vulnerability of the city's inhabitants when confronted with supernatural evil.
Rock Creek Park was established in 1890 as one of the first urban parks in America, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted's successors. The park preserves 1,754 acres of forest, meadows, and streams within Washington, D.C. The creek has shaped the city's geography and ecology for centuries.
Rock Creek Park remains one of Washington, D.C.'s greatest recreational assets, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding, and picnicking. The park's trails and natural areas are open to the public year-round. The park contains museums, historic sites, and educational facilities.
Visit: Rock Creek Park (park)
Wisconsin Avenue, NW — Major thoroughfare through Georgetown
Wisconsin Avenue is the main commercial street running through Georgetown, serving as a major thoroughfare in the novel's setting. The street represents the everyday urban landscape through which characters navigate as supernatural events begin to unfold. Chris MacNeil and Regan travel this street to various medical appointments and consultations.
Wisconsin Avenue developed as a major transportation route through Georgetown and Washington during the 19th and 20th centuries. The street became a major commercial corridor with significant development along its length. Wisconsin Avenue connects Georgetown to other neighborhoods and remains a vital traffic artery.
Wisconsin Avenue continues as one of Washington, D.C.'s major thoroughfares, lined with shops, restaurants, banks, and offices. The street is heavily trafficked by cars, buses, and pedestrians. The Georgetown section features some of the city's most upscale retail establishments.
Visit: Georgetown Commercial District (landmark)
101 Independence Avenue, SE — The nation's library
The Library of Congress represents institutional knowledge and human wisdom. In the context of The Exorcist, it symbolizes the limitations of secular learning when confronted with demonic evil. The library's vast archives of human knowledge prove insufficient to explain or combat the supernatural possession of Regan MacNeil, suggesting that some mysteries transcend rational inquiry.
The Library of Congress was established in 1800 and is the de facto national library of the United States. The institution has grown into the world's largest library with millions of books, manuscripts, photographs, and other materials. The Thomas Jefferson Building is an architectural masterpiece completed in 1897.
The Library of Congress remains open to the public and offers tours of its magnificent buildings. Visitors can view the reading rooms, special collections, and permanent exhibitions. The library's architecture and artistic decorations make it one of Washington's most impressive public buildings.
Visit: Library of Congress (museum)
Key Bridge, Georgetown — Crosses the Potomac River to Arlington
Key Bridge represents the threshold between Georgetown and the larger Washington metropolitan area. The bridge symbolizes boundaries and crossings in the novel's geography. Characters cross this bridge while seeking help for Regan's possession, moving between the familiar world of Georgetown and the wider world beyond.
Key Bridge was completed in 1923 and spans the Potomac River between Georgetown in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia. The bridge was designed by renowned engineer Harley H. Coover and is both a functional transportation link and an architectural landmark. The bridge provides pedestrian access and scenic views of the Potomac.
Key Bridge remains a major transportation link between Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, carrying vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The bridge offers excellent views of the Potomac River and the Washington skyline. It is a popular spot for photographers and sightseers.
Visit: Key Bridge (landmark)
3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW — The seat of the Episcopal Archbishop
The National Cathedral represents the highest institutional religious authority in Washington, D.C. Though primarily referenced through the Catholic Church's actions in the novel, the cathedral symbolizes spiritual authority and the intersection of faith with institutional power. The cathedral's presence in the city emphasizes the religious dimension of the possession crisis.
The Washington National Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, began construction in 1907 and was completed in 1990. The magnificent Gothic Revival structure is one of the largest cathedrals in North America and serves as the seat of the Episcopal Archbishop of Washington. The cathedral has hosted numerous state funerals and significant national events.
The Washington National Cathedral is open to the public for tours, worship services, and events. The cathedral is one of Washington's most significant architectural landmarks and attracts thousands of visitors annually. Tours and special programs are regularly scheduled.
Visit: Washington National Cathedral (historic site)
More by William Peter Blatty: All William Peter Blatty books
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