In 2014, Taylor Swift took over four days to film one of her most iconic music videos, ‘Blank Space,’ in the extravagant Oheka Castle. Years later, the castle, which is referred to as one of the biggest private residences in the area, has officially been sold off for USD 72 million. Located atop one of the highest points of Long Island in Huntington, New York, Oheka Castle is one of the most famous and grand private residences in American history.The property was built sometime between 1914 and 1919 for investment banker and arts patron Otto Hermann Kahn. Now, the 115,000-square-foot Châteauesque estate is considered the second-largest private home ever constructed in the entire US. Read ahead to learn more about the extravagant property.
In 2014, Taylor Swift filmed the music video for ‘Blank Space’ at the Oheka Castle
Back in 2014, Swift used the large estate’s grand rooms, manicured gardens, driveway, gazebo, and motor court (where she famously hit a car with a golf club, as seen in the music video) as the backdrop for the music video. While talking to House Beautiful, the video’s production designer, Marla Weinhoff, opened up about what it was like to transform the mansion for the Grammy-winning icon’s music video.
Some of the most iconic scenes from the music video, including multiple scenes with Swift and Sean O’Pry. (YouTube)
Some of the shots that were filmed at the castle included shots of Swift and Sean O’Pry riding horses amid a greenery-filled backdrop that was designed by the Olmsted brothers. Another scene included the pair having a picnic on the grounds, as well as the notable scene shot at Oheka where the singer bashes out the hood of an expensive car.She further talked about the music video and filming it at the Long Island estate, sharing, “We also made use of a beautiful staircase and an empty room to make the bedroom scene with [Swift’s] cat, Olivia. The script called for [Swift] to have a heart cake in bed that would bleed as she cut into it. This was custom-made as well and required quite a bit of engineering. We also made custom bed linens and a canopy to make it romantic and dreamy to fit the storyline and our star.”Swift is not the only one to use the grand castle, as it was also featured in the hit TV series, ‘Succession,’ as well as appearing in classic cinema like ‘Citizen Kane.’ Marla also revealed, “All animals were shot at the location, including the deer! We worked with the animal trainers as well as a humane association representative and had to prepare the surfaces properly for the safety of the animal and also location protection.”
More about the Oheka Castle
The castle is one of the largest properties in the US, spanning 115,000 to 112,895 square feet of space, 127 rooms, 32–34 luxury guest suites, 39 fireplaces, a grand ballroom, and formal French gardens that were also designed by the Olmsted Brothers across 23 acres of land. The property was originally built for financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn by architects Delano & Aldrich in the Châteauesque style. The original construction is estimated to have cost USD 11 million.
The Oheka mansion is known as one of the biggest private estates in the US, and is located on the hill tops in Long Island. (YouTube)
As for its following owners and uses, after Kahn, the property was used as a retirement home for NYC sanitation workers, which started in 1936, as well as a US Merchant Marine training school, and later the Eastern Military Academy, before falling into complete abandonment by the late 1970s. When the property lay waste to the area, Gary Melius bought the estate in 1984 for only USD 1.5 million and spent upwards of USD 40 million over decades to restore it to its Gilded Age glory. It is also officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Oheka Castle’s sale because of bankruptcy issues
The Los Angeles Times reported that the property was sold off for USD 72 million at a recently held auction. On October 27, the auction was held at The Dominick in New York City, which is managed by Concierge Auctions in collaboration with the Modlin Group. The winning bid came from Ronald Browning and Paul Alflen, who are major partners in a big property and estate management company.The sale came after the previous owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in July 2025, filed by Kahn Property Owner LLC to resolve foreclosure battles. The estate had previously been valued at up to USD 137 million. According to the case, the new owners have full control over the estate; however, they have to honor all bookings at the space up until March 2028.DISCLAIMER: Figures presented in this article are derived from various public sources and are considered approximate unless explicitly noted. We may include direct input from celebrities or their teams when available. We are open to feedback on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.