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
Having been to stately homes and palaces around the world, nothing compares to this building's incredibly opulent decoration and design. It is absolutely worth a visit if you're in Paris and definitely take the audio/video tour as it takes you through the building, supplementing the incredible artistry with history and information about the construction and design. It has to be the amazing building in Paris, and that's saying something!
James Jennings - a week ago
Very beautiful! We did the tour and it made the experience even more enjoyable. The history behind all the little details in the opera was very interesting. The building itself was incredible. The photos do not do it justice. There is an aura of mystique and elegance throughout. It made me wish we could go to one of its shows!
Dalia Quezada Campos - a month ago
A wonderful visit to the *Palais Garnier*! What a beautiful and impressive building full of history and atmosphere. The combination of the rich interior, the impressive staircase and the famous ceiling by Chagall make it a real must-see in Paris.
A fun fact: there really is an underground lake under the building, which even inspired the story of 'The Phantom of the Opera'. The mysterious 'seat number 13' in the theater also has a legend: it was said to be avoided because of bad luck - although that is now mainly folklore.
The 'only' small downside was the crowds; it was quite full at times, but still perfectly doable.
In short: absolutely worth it, especially if you like history, architecture and a bit of mystery! Absolutely stunning we loved it.
Mark’s Wanderlust - a month ago
Absolutely stunning. We went for a ballet and got tickets on the balcony area. Such a cool experience. The side balcony seats have an obstructed view of the stage but it’s still very cool. It had a touch more space than the regular seating. A terrific experience.
Jesse Soto - 2 months ago
An incredibly beautiful building with a rich history. It’s wonderful that there is access to this architectural gem. At first, when you enter, it feels very crowded. And yes, there are indeed a lot of people, but on the upper floors it’s much calmer, and you can take amazing photos and truly enjoy the atmosphere.
Olena Palaguta - 2 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).
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Accommodations near Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier):
Photo Gallery
-
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
Video
To view this video, please provide consent for cookies and/or disable any ad blockers.
We use cookies to display embedded YouTube content. For more information, see our
Privacy and Cookies Policy.
