Paris attraction | Opéra Garnier

An opera house fit for an emperor

You don’t have to be an opera buff to appreciate the Palais Garnier which is also known as the Opéra de Paris or the Opéra Garnier, or more commonly referred to as the Paris Opéra.  Located on the Place de l’Opéra in Paris’ 9th arondissement, this 1,900-seat neo-Baroque style opera house was built on the orders of Napoleon III and its grandeur is certainly fit for emperors.

As part of Napoleon III’s great Parisian reconstruction project carried out by Baron Haussmann, an opera house was to be built.  A competition was launched for its design and this was won by Charles Garnier, an unknown 35-year-old architect.

Palais Garnier took fifteen years to complete (1860 to 1875) due to interruptions like the 1870 war and the fall of the Empire, but when it was inaugurated on 15 January 1875, it was regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time and probably still is today.

Main Features of Palais Garnier

Grand Staircase – The dramatic Staircase is one of the most famous features of the Palais Garnier. The double stairway leads to the foyers and to  the different levels of the auditorium. As you walk up or down the staircase, picture the magnificence of its days when the upper-class and fashionable society women would brush past each other here and how grand it must have been to watch an opera performance here.

The Foyers – Garnier designed the Grand Foyer to resemble the gallery of a classical chateau.  The stunning  and richly decorated foyers provide the audience with areas to stroll through during opera intervals.  The mirrors and windows accentuate its vast dimensions and the magnificent ceiling paintings by Paul Baudry portray themes from the history of music.

Salon du Glacier - is at the end of the bar gallery.  This room with a distinct 1900s feel was completed after the opening of the opera house.

Auditorium - In plush red and gold, the Auditorium is lit by the immense crystal chandelier hanging below Marc Chagall’s brightly coloured ceiling.  This Italian-style horseshoe-shaped auditorium has 1,900 red velvet seats. We were lucky to have been here at a dress rehearsal and was able to see what it is like at performance time.

At its inauguration, the opera house was officially named the  Académie Nationale de Musique – Théâtre de l’Opéra . This was changed to Théâtre National de l’Opéra de Paris in 1978 and then renamed Palais Garnier when the opera company moved to the new Opéra Bastille in 1989.  In spite of opera no longer being performed here, the Palais Garnier is still known by many people as the Paris Opéra, but I like Opéra Garnier.

You can book your visit ticket on-line on the Palais Garnier website or at the Palais Garnier itself.  You can also join guided tours in different languages but these fill up very quickly.  This is an amazing place to visit and definitely worth the few Euros that’s being charged.

See our Opéra Garnier photos HERE

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