Palais Garnier — National Opera of Paris
The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra Garnier, is a historic 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l’Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III and designed by architect Charles Garnier, the building is one of the most celebrated examples of the Napoleon III style, renowned for its extraordinary opulence of materials and decorative programmes. Since 1989, the company has primarily used the newer Opéra Bastille for opera, while the Palais Garnier hosts ballet and classic productions.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house and concert venue
- Period
- Built 1861–1875; inaugurated 5 January 1875
- Style
- Napoleon III style (eclectic Beaux-Arts)
- Location
- Place de l’Opéra, 9th arrondissement, Paris, France
- Coordinates
- 48.8719° N, 2.3317° E
Overview
The Palais Garnier is the historic home of the Paris Opera, one of the oldest and most prestigious opera institutions in the world, founded by Louis XIV in 1669. The building covers approximately 11,000 square metres and contains more than 2,000 rooms, including rehearsal halls, storage spaces, and the famous underground cistern beneath the stage. It remains a monument historique of France and one of the most visited cultural sites in Paris.
History
Napoleon III selected the site and announced the commission in 1858 as part of Haussmann’s great transformation of Paris, selecting young architect Charles Garnier from among 171 competitors. Construction was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, with the building finally inaugurated on 5 January 1875 under the Third Republic. The opera house became a centre of Parisian social life during the Belle Époque, inspiring Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, set within its elaborate subterranean spaces. It was designated a monument historique in 1923.
What you see
The façade is a symphony of polychrome marble, bronze, and gilded sculpture spread across a series of arcades, loggias, and pavilions. The grand staircase inside is considered one of the finest interiors of 19th-century architecture in Europe, with its triple-branching marble flights rising beneath a painted ceiling vault. The auditorium — decorated in red velvet and gold — is crowned by a chandelier weighing eight tonnes and a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964, a striking contrast of modern art set within the historic décor.
Cultural significance
The Palais Garnier is considered the supreme expression of 19th-century opera house design and has been imitated in theatres worldwide. It is the birthplace of classical ballet as it is understood today, as the Paris Opera Ballet — the world’s oldest national ballet company — developed its foundational techniques and repertoire here. The building’s association with The Phantom of the Opera has made it one of the most romanticised architectural landmarks in popular culture.
Practical information
- Address
- Place de l’Opéra, 75009 Paris, France
- Hours
- Check official website for visit hours and performance schedules
- Admission
- Paid entry for daytime visits; separate tickets for performances
- Website
- operadeparis.fr
Getting there
The Palais Garnier is located directly above Opéra station, served by Métro lines 3, 7, and 8. RER A and E stop at nearby Auber station. The site is also reachable on foot from the Madeleine, the grands boulevards, and the 9th arrondissement shopping streets around Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.