Palais Garnier

The Palais Garnier is a 19th-century opera house in Paris designed by architect Charles Garnier and inaugurated in 1875, noted for its opulent Beaux-Arts architecture and richly decorated interiors. It remains one of the city’s most famous architectural landmarks and a major cultural venue.

The monumental marble Grand Staircase, the gilded auditorium with its large chandelier and ornate boxes, and richly painted public rooms such as the Grand Foyer. Visitors can join guided tours to see these interiors when the house is not in use for performances.

The palace was commissioned under Napoleon III during the Second Empire and completed after a prolonged construction period that produced a landmark of theatrical architecture. It has housed opera and ballet performances since opening and also contains a museum of the Paris Opéra.

Located in Paris’s 9th arrondissement, the building sits between the Boulevard des Capucines and the Avenue de l’Opéra, within easy walking distance of several central transport hubs.

• Tours and performances: Guided tours provide access to the grand staircase, auditorium and museum; the building remains a working opera house so some areas close during rehearsals or performances.
• Architect and dates: Construction began in 1861 to a design by Charles Garnier and the building was inaugurated in 1875 as the principal Paris opera house of the Second Empire architectural program.

What to See #

• Auditorium and chandelier: The horseshoe-shaped auditorium decorated with red velvet seating and a large crystal chandelier, known for its richly gilded boxes and ornate proscenium (auditorium seating capacity roughly 1,900).
• Grand Staircase and Grand Foyer: A grand double staircase and marble foyer leading to opulent public rooms that were designed for promenading and social gathering after the building's completion in the 19th century.