Fictional city in the DC Universe, best known as the home of Batman

Gotham City

Gotham City

Gotham City (<a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/ˈɡɒθəm/</a> <a href="/en/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key" title="Help:Pronunciation respelling key" class="wl">GOTH-əm</a>), or simply Gotham, is a <a href="/en/Fictional_city" title="Fictional city" class="wl">fictional city</a> appearing in <a href="/en/American_comic_book" title="American comic book" class="wl">American comic books</a> published by <a href="/en/DC_Comics" title="DC Comics" class="wl">DC Comics</a>, best known as the home of the <a href="/en/Superhero" title="Superhero" class="wl">superhero</a> <a href="/en/Batman" title="Batman" class="wl">Batman</a> and his <a href="/en/List_of_Batman_supporting_characters#Bat-Family" title="List of Batman supporting characters" class="wl">allies</a> and <a href="/en/List_of_Batman_family_enemies" title="List of Batman family enemies" class="wl">foes</a>. Created by writer <a href="/en/Bill_Finger" title="Bill Finger" class="wl">Bill Finger</a> and artist <a href="/en/Bob_Kane" title="Bob Kane" class="wl">Bob Kane</a>, the city was first identified as Batman's place of residence in <a href="/en/Batman_(comic_book)" title="Batman (comic book)" class="wl">Batman</a> #4 (December 1940) and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring the character.

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Fictional city in the DC Universe, best known as the home of Batman</div>
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<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn">Quick facts: Gotham City, First appearance, Created by, Ge... ▼</header> <table class="infobox mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above notheme" style="background: #DEDEE2;">Gotham City</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><a href="/en/Batman" title="Batman" class="wl">Batman</a> location</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><a href="/en/File:Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png/250px-Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="315" data-file-height="315" data-file-type="bitmap" height="250" width="250" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2c/Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2c/Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png 2x" alt="Gotham_City_Batman_Vol_3_14.png"></a><div class="infobox-caption">Shot of Gotham City in Batman (vol. 3) #14 (March 2017) by Mitch Gerads</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">First appearance</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Batman_(comic_book)" title="Batman (comic book)" class="wl">Batman</a> #4 (December 1940)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Created by</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Bill_Finger" title="Bill Finger" class="wl">Bill Finger</a> (writer) <a href="/en/Bob_Kane" title="Bob Kane" class="wl">Bob Kane</a> (artist)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Genre</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Superhero_comics" title="Superhero comics" class="wl">Superhero</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background: #DEDEE2;">In-universe information</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Type</th><td class="infobox-data">City</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Locations</th><td class="infobox-data">Ace Chemicals <a href="/en/Arkham_Asylum" title="Arkham Asylum" class="wl">Arkham Asylum</a> Blackgate Penitentiary Gotham City Police Department <a href="/en/Iceberg_Lounge" title="Iceberg Lounge" class="mw-redirect wl">Iceberg Lounge</a> <a href="/en/Wayne_Enterprises" title="Wayne Enterprises" class="wl">Wayne Enterprises</a> <a href="/en/Wayne_Manor" title="Wayne Manor" class="wl">Wayne Manor</a> <a href="/en/Batcave" title="Batcave" class="wl">Batcave</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Characters</th><td class="infobox-data"><div class="collapsible-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="line-height: 1.6em; font-weight: bold;"><div>List</div></div>
<ul class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin-left: 0;"><li style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Aaron_Cash" title="Aaron Cash" class="mw-redirect wl">Aaron Cash</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Ace_the_Bat-Hound" title="Ace the Bat-Hound" class="wl">Ace the Bat-Hound</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Alan_Scott" title="Alan Scott" class="wl">Alan Scott</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Alberto_Falcone" title="Alberto Falcone" class="wl">Alberto Falcone</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Alfred_Pennyworth" title="Alfred Pennyworth" class="wl">Alfred Pennyworth</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Amadeus_Arkham" title="Amadeus Arkham" class="mw-redirect wl">Amadeus Arkham</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Ventriloquist_(character)" title="Ventriloquist (character)" class="wl">Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist</a> &amp; <a href="/en/Scarface_(comics)" title="Scarface (comics)" class="mw-redirect wl">Scarface</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Cluemaster" title="Cluemaster" class="wl">Arthur Brown/Cluemaster</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Bane_(DC_Comics)" title="Bane (DC Comics)" class="wl">Bane</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Barbara_Gordon" title="Barbara Gordon" class="wl">Barbara Gordon/Batgirl</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Clayface" title="Clayface" class="wl">Basil Karlo/Clayface</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Batman" title="Batman" class="wl">Bruce Wayne/Batman</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Bud_and_Lou" title="Bud and Lou" class="wl">Bud and Lou</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Carmine_Falcone" title="Carmine Falcone" class="wl">Carmine Falcone</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Kite_Man" title="Kite Man" class="wl">Chuck Brown/Kite-Man</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Damian_Wayne" title="Damian Wayne" class="wl">Damian Wayne/Robin</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Dick_Grayson" title="Dick Grayson" class="wl">Dick 
Grayson/Nightwing</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Killer_Moth" title="Killer Moth" class="wl">Drury Walker/Killer Moth</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/The_Riddler" title="The Riddler" class="mw-redirect wl">Edward Nygma/The Riddler</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Deadshot" title="Deadshot" class="wl">Floyd Lawton/Deadshot</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Francine_Langstrom" title="Francine Langstrom" class="mw-redirect wl">Francine Langstrom</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Firefly_(DC_Comics)" title="Firefly (DC Comics)" class="wl">Garfield Lynns/Firefly</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Commissioner_Loeb" title="Commissioner Loeb" class="mw-redirect wl">Gillian Loeb</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Hamilton_Hill_(comics)" title="Hamilton Hill (comics)" class="wl">Hamilton Hill</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Harley_Quinn" title="Harley Quinn" class="wl">Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Harvey_Bullock_(character)" title="Harvey Bullock (character)" class="wl">Harvey Bullock</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Two-Face" title="Two-Face" class="wl">Harvey Dent/Two-Face</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Professor_Hugo_Strange" title="Professor Hugo Strange" class="mw-redirect wl">Hugo Strange</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Humpty_Dumpty_(comics)" title="Humpty Dumpty (comics)" class="wl">Humphry Dumpler/Humpty Dumpty</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/The_Creeper_(comics)" title="The Creeper (comics)" class="mw-redirect wl">Jack Ryder/The Creeper</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Jason_Todd" title="Jason Todd" class="wl">Jason Todd/Red Hood</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Jean-Paul_Valley" title="Jean-Paul Valley" class="wl">Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Mad_Hatter_(DC_Comics)" title="Mad Hatter (DC Comics)" class="wl">Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Commissioner_Gordon" title="Commissioner Gordon" class="mw-redirect wl">Jim Gordon</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/The_Scarecrow_(DC_Comics)" title="The Scarecrow (DC Comics)" class="mw-redirect wl">Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Calendar_Man" title="Calendar Man" class="wl">Julian Day/Calendar Man</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Julie_Madison" title="Julie Madison" class="wl">Julie Madison</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Man-Bat" title="Man-Bat" class="wl">Kirk Langstrom/Man-Bat</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Professor_Pyg" title="Professor Pyg" class="wl">Lazlo Valentin/Professor Pyg</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Anarky_(comic_book)" title="Anarky (comic book)" class="wl">Lonnie Machin/Anarky</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Lucius_Fox" title="Lucius Fox" class="wl">Lucius Fox</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Mario_Falcone_(DC_Comics)" title="Mario Falcone (DC Comics)" class="wl">Mario Falcone</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Martha_Wayne" title="Martha Wayne" class="wl">Martha Wayne</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Maxie_Zeus" title="Maxie Zeus" class="wl">Maxie Zeus</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Nora_Fries" title="Nora Fries" class="wl">Nora Fries</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Penguin_(character)" title="Penguin (character)" class="wl">Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/The_Ratcatcher" title="The Ratcatcher" class="mw-redirect wl">Otis Flannegan/The Ratcatcher</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Poison_Ivy_(character)" title="Poison Ivy (character)" class="wl">Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Penelope_Young" title="Penelope Young" class="mw-redirect wl">Penelope Young</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Prometheus_(DC_Comics)" title="Prometheus (DC Comics)" class="wl">Prometheus</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Ra's_al_Ghul" title="Ra's al Ghul" class="wl">Ra's al Ghul</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Renee_Montoya" title="Renee Montoya" class="wl">Renee Montoya</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Black_Mask_(character)" title="Black Mask (character)" class="wl">Roman Sionis/Black Mask</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sal_Maroni" title="Sal Maroni" class="wl">Sal Maroni</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Catwoman" title="Catwoman" class="wl">Selina Kyle/Catwoman</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Deathstroke" title="Deathstroke" class="wl">Slade Wilson/Deathstroke</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sofia_Falcone" title="Sofia Falcone" class="wl">Sofia Falcone</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Solomon_Grundy_(character)" title="Solomon Grundy (character)" class="wl">Solomon Grundy</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Stephanie_Brown_(character)" title="Stephanie Brown (character)" class="wl">Stephanie Brown/Spoiler</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Talia_al_Ghul" title="Talia al Ghul" class="wl">Talia al Ghul</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Terry_McGinnis" title="Terry McGinnis" class="mw-redirect wl">Terry McGinnis</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/The_Joker_(character)" title="The Joker (character)" class="mw-redirect wl">The Joker</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Catman_(DC_Comics)" title="Catman (DC Comics)" class="wl">Thomas Blake/Catman</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Hush_(character)" title="Hush (character)" class="wl">Thomas Elliot/Hush</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Thomas_Wayne" title="Thomas Wayne" class="wl">Thomas Wayne</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Tim_Drake" title="Tim Drake" class="wl">Tim Drake/Red Robin</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Vicki_Vale" title="Vicki Vale" class="wl">Vicki Vale</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Mr._Freeze" title="Mr. Freeze" class="wl">Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Mr._Zsasz" title="Mr. Zsasz" class="mw-redirect wl">Victor Zsasz</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Great_White_Shark_(character)" title="Great White Shark (character)" class="wl">Warren White/The Great White Shark</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Killer_Croc" title="Killer Croc" class="wl">Waylon Jones/Killer Croc</a></li></ul>

</div></li></ul>
</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="/en/Category:Comics_publishing_companies" title="Category:Comics publishing companies" class="wl">Publisher</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/DC_Comics" title="DC Comics" class="wl">DC Comics</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'>Close ▲</footer></div>
Gotham City is traditionally depicted as being located in the <a href="/en/U.S._state" title="U.S. state" class="wl">U.S. state</a> of <a href="/en/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey" class="wl">New Jersey</a>.<a href="#cite_note-DC_Comics'_1977-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-WorldsFinest1979-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a><a href="#cite_note-DC_Universe_1990-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-Batman_1993-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;">[5]</a><a href="#cite_note-ifanboy.com-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;">[6]</a> Gotham's look and atmosphere was primarily influenced by <a href="/en/New_York_City" title="New York City" class="wl">New York City</a>.<a href="#cite_note-Bopik-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;">[7]</a> Architect <a href="/en/Hugh_Ferriss" title="Hugh Ferriss" class="wl">Hugh Ferriss</a>’ designs also influenced the look and emotional feel of Gotham City, particularly in its later depictions.<a href="#cite_note-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;">[8]</a> Finger chose the name "Gotham" so that the residents of any city could identify with it.<a href="#cite_note-NYTimes-9" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 9;">[9]</a><a href="#cite_note-BuildMoviescapes-10" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 10;">[10]</a><a href="#cite_note-LiverpoolEcho-11" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 11;">[11]</a>

Locations used as inspiration or filming locations for Gotham City in the live-action Batman films and television series have included <a href="/en/Chicago" title="Chicago" class="wl">Chicago</a>,<a href="#cite_note-WorldwideBBegins-12" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 12;">[12]</a><a href="#cite_note-IGNInterview-13" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 13;">[13]</a> <a href="/en/Pittsburgh" title="Pittsburgh" class="wl">Pittsburgh</a>, <a href="/en/Los_Angeles" title="Los Angeles" class="wl">Los Angeles</a>, <a href="/en/New_York_City" title="New York City" class="wl">New York City</a>, <a href="/en/Newark,_New_Jersey" title="Newark, New Jersey" class="wl">Newark</a>, <a href="/en/London" title="London" class="wl">London</a>, <a href="/en/Glasgow" title="Glasgow" class="wl">Glasgow</a>,<a href="#cite_note-Reelz-14" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 14;">[14]</a><a href="#cite_note-PittPostGazette-15" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 15;">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-MTV-16" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 16;">[16]</a><a href="#cite_note-NJ.com1-17" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 17;">[17]</a><a href="#cite_note-NewYorkPost-18" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 18;">[18]</a><a href="#cite_note-NJ.com2-19" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 19;">[19]</a> <a href="/en/Hong_Kong" title="Hong Kong" class="wl">Hong Kong</a>, and <a href="/en/Liverpool" title="Liverpool" class="wl">Liverpool</a>.<a href="#cite_note-LiverpoolEcho-11" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 11;">[11]</a>

Gotham City , or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the city was first identified as Batman's place of residence in Batman #4 and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring the character. Gotham City is traditionally depicted as being located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Locations used as inspiration or filming locations for Gotham City in the live-action Batman films and television series have included Chicago, 