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
An absolutely magical place! ✨
The Palais Garnier is beyond stunning. Every detail, from the grand staircase to the gilded ceilings, feels like stepping into a dream. Even if you are not attending a performance, the building itself is a true masterpiece and well worth the visit. I loved wandering through the halls and taking in the history and elegance everywhere I looked.
The atmosphere is refined and romantic, and it perfectly captures the soul of Paris. Whether you love opera, architecture, or simply beautiful places, this is an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend! 💖
Karen - 3 months ago
The most compelling decorations, sculptures and art I believe this was the most impressive building even more so than Versailles. The audio guide in English is confusing and that it's hard to follow with locations however if you take a break and look at the main menu and then go through the sites it's helpful the best is buy tickets on the official site with the audio guide for a wonderful experience. I would put this in the top three must see
c “CWinGA” wright - 2 months ago
The building is grand like everyone says and is worthwhile to see (book tickets early if you can) but my review is more to do with a helpful staff member.
I was a few min late for my guided tour and when I confirmed with a staff member whether I was in the correct queue, I was pleasantly surprised that he'd guessed who I was and swiftly returned with my tickets and headsets and directed me to where the tour group should be so I could join them quickly. Merci to that thoughtful gentleman!
The tour took us into the magnificent grand foyer and also got to sit in the beautiful main theatre and marvel at the architecture and listen to its history. Saw the Phantom of the Opera box. Would love to see a ballet there but tickets are apparently very very very difficult to get!
Anne-Maree Wong - 3 months ago
The most amazing place to visit in Paris. It’s absolutely stunning!!! Worth every penny and the wait. Everything inside is incredible: the entrance, the hall, the main room/opera, the surrounding halls, the library, the show costumes, and the other rooms. It’s impossible not to look around in awe. Such a fantastic experience. The only downside was that the front of the building was covered in huge advertisements due to construction.
Vasiliki Menegatou - 3 months ago
The Opera House was a truly magnificent structure., One of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. It’s an ancient building of more than three centuries. The French certainly have something to be proud of in this building.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have learned a great deal about musical acoustics and architecture. Ascension structure badly damage the quality of the opera production. The voices were swallowed in the vastness of the stage this significantly deteriorated my experience of a tremendous opera. It is certainly worth going to once to see the structure.
If you really love opera and Demand significant acoustics, then go to.L’Opera Bastille. The sound and acoustics are remarkable. I’ve seen four operas there in the last three years they are provocative and exciting productions, some of which were the best I’ve ever seen anywhere of any opera in the world.
It’s worth going out of your way, even by hundreds of thousands of miles, to enjoy opera in Bastille. Their staging, voices and overall productions are at the top of what I’ve seen in the world.
Arnold Stolberg - 5 months 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
