Paris Opera House
(Palais Garnier)
There has never been an opera house as extravagant and opulent as the Palais Garnier
Palais Garnier is an opera house that was built to seat 1,979 guests. Construction started in 1861 and finished 14 years later in 1875. Originally called the Salle des Capucines, it was renamed Palais Garnier to celebrate its grandeur and its architect, Charles Garnier. Today it is mainly used to host ballet productions and is no longer the primary home of the Paris Opera since the Opera Bastille opened in 1989 with the ability to seat 2,700 guests.
Palais Garnier was the scene for the famous screenplay, The Phantom of the Opera, which was originally written by Gaston Leroux and later adapted to a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986. This fact alone makes the Palais Garnier worth seeing if you have any love of opera and the stage.
Palais Garnier was commissioned as part of the reconstruction of Paris that was initiated by Emperor Napoleon III. The actual design of the opera house was created by Charles Garnier who won the architectural competition on May 29th 1861. The competition was in two phases. The first phase was out of 171 applicants which Charles won 5th place in narrowly becoming one of the 5 finalist competing for the second phase. In the second phase he improved greatly to first place while the winner of the first competition did worse. Charles Garnier's design was chosen for being the best and most simplistic, clear, logical and grandeur thanks to all the unique and superior qualities presented in his plans for the beautiful opera house. Garnier had to design a double foundation to accommodate the basement area because the ground water levels on the site were too high to allow the site to drain properly. This high level of ground water brought about a legend that the Palais Garnier was built on an underground lake, a concept used by Gaston Leroux in his novel and screenplay.
Palais Garnier is home to the world famous crystal and bronze chandelier that hangs in the centre or the Opera House. This massive chandelier's weight of seven tons and cost 30,000 gold francs. In 1896 one of the counterweights for the chandelier fell killing one of the workers. This very unfortunate accident was the result of the inspiration that Gaston Leroux used in his famous novel the Phantom of the Opera.
It took until 2011 for a restaurant to open and operate successfully in the Palais Garnier. Three previous attempts failed. The Palace didn't even have electricity installed until 1969. A restoration project was started in 1994 and only completed in 2007.
There has never been an opera house as extravagant and opulent as the Palais Garnier. Walking into the entrance hall and being confronted with the Grand Staircase made from solid white Italian marble is enough to astound even the most affluent visitors.
Nearby attraction: Musee Grevin
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes.Address: Pl. de l'Opéra, 75009 Paris, France
Phone: 01 40 07 00 43
Official Website: Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier)
Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) Reviews
Rated out of 5
Very beautiful building! We didn’t get online tickets as we heard that the opera’s access is not always open for visitors. We bought our tickets from the ticket desk at the reception and everything was very quick. No queue no waiting. Once inside, the architecture is breathtaking! Looks like a mini (very mini) version of Versailles. Definitely, one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris, both from inside and outside!
Borislav Tomov - 2 months ago
We were in that palace and were overwhelmed with amazing feelings that I cannot describe here. In that palace you can see amazing architecture and beautiful art that people created. My big recommendation !
Nikola Vasic - a week ago
A stunning theatre with some very cool history. We highly recommended reserving their mystery tour for a quiet chance to explore this incredible piece of architecture.
Cody Basch - in the last week
The Paris Grand Opera is an absolute masterpiece! From its stunning façade to the opulent interior, every detail exudes elegance and history. The grand staircase is breathtaking, perfect for photos, and the acoustics inside are phenomenal. A must-see, even if you’re not attending a performance—pure magic!
Sergii Belous - a month ago
Wowwee! We went just to see the building. The opera showing (or not actually, because they were on strike!), was a modern one and not to our taste, but the building itself is absolutely fabulous! And we're lucky enough to be able to go into the auditorium, because the rehearsal which ought to have been taking place was canceled. But that's only the part of it! We were booked on a guided tour. With William. I have to tell you that the guided tour was absolutely brilliant. The building is one thing, but the performance YES PERFORMANCE of our tour guide William was worth the money in itself. It was a masterpiece of off-stage theatre and made the whole experience exceptional. He had us entertained from the first minute to the last. Brilliant. I'm not sure whether you can request your tour guide, but if you can, then make a bid for William's tour. Ours was in English, but he speaks several other languages. Being so funny in a language other than your first takes real skill. Bravo!
Dick McBill - a month ago
Directions
| Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| M3, 7 or 8 | Opera | 1 minute |
| M9 | Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette Station | 2 minutes |
| M12 or 14 | Madeleine | 9 minutes |
| RER A | Auber | 3 minutes |
How to get to Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) by Metro / RER
By Metro: Exiting Metro Line 3, 7 or 8 at Opera Station places you directly in front of Palais Garnier. From Metro Line 9 exit at Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette and walk south on Rue Haievy to the entrance. From Metro Line 12 or 14 take the Place de la Madeleine exit from Madeleine Station Madeleine and walk straight ahead on Place de la Madeleine to Boulevard de la Madeleine and go left. Continue straight to the entrance of the Opera House.
By RER: Take the RER A to Auber Station; exit and go left along Rue Auber to the entrance (3 minutes).
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Photo Gallery
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Stunning interior of the Palais Garnier cc licensed photo by Panoramas -
Photo Credit: corno.fulgur75 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: corno.fulgur75 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ninara - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ninara - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: string_bass_dave - cc license via Flickr
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