Then the Franco-Prussian War and the subsequent fall of Napoleon III also caused long interruptions between construction periods. It turned out that the building's foundation had unwittingly been laid upon a swamp, which took roughly eight months to drain. The enormous stage could accommodate up to 450 people at one time, and even the building’s corridors and stairwells are cavernous.Ĭonstruction began in 1862, and was quickly plagued with setbacks and delays. The building was always designed to be an extravagant experience, with a lush, richly decorated space incorporating excessive elements such as a six-ton central chandelier, bronze busts of composers, and multiple columns, friezes and statues. The design, by architect Charles Garnier, was chosen from a competition held in 1861. The Palais Garnier was commissioned during the reconstruction of central Paris by Napoleon III, and the civic planner Baron Haussmann was given the task to clear enough land to build the opera house in 1858. Building and History of the Paris Opera / Palais Garnier This landmark is a prime example of the Beaux-Arts architecture movement, in part drawing on the 17th century Classical Roman and Baroque style of emphasizing drama and grandeur as well as symmetry. This 2,200 seat opera house was the successor to the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique, which had burned down in 1873.

It is centrally placed just a short distance from the Louvre. The Palais Garnier in Paris is most commonly known as the Paris Opera, and is one of the most important buildings in Paris.

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