Palais Garnier 🇫🇷

Welcome to the Palais Garnier, an iconic 1,979-seat opera house located at Place de l'Opéra in Paris's 9th arrondissement. Built between 1861 and 1875 by architect Charles Garnier at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III, this opulent masterpiece showcases the eclectic Napoleon III style, blending Baroque, Palladian classicism, and Renaissance elements. Famous as the evocative setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, it remains a premier landmark of France.

Step inside to admire the grand ceremonial staircase made of white marble with a striking red and green marble balustrade, flanked by female torchères by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse and crowned by Isidore Pils’s ceiling paintings. At the staircase base, discover the Cave of Pythia featuring Adèle d'Affry's bronze-flanked statue. Wander into the Avant Foyer to view five Byzantine-style chandeliers, Greek mosaic inscriptions, and mythological mosaic panels depicting couples like Orpheus and Eurydice.

Outside, inspect the lavish façade, adorned with seventeen different materials, composer busts, and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux's sculpture The Dance. Today, the building mainly hosts ballet performances and houses the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris, included in your unaccompanied tour.

What to see at Palais Garnier

• The Grand Staircase featuring white marble, red and green balustrades, and female torchères
• The Avant Foyer with five Byzantine-style chandeliers and Greek mosaic panels
• Adèle d'Affry's bronze-flanked statue of Pythia located beneath the Grand Staircase
• The elaborate main façade showcasing seventeen materials and busts of famous composers
• Access to the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris containing historical theater documents

Visiting tips

Take an unaccompanied tour to explore the grand interior spaces and inspect the collections inside the Bibliothèque-Musée de l'Opéra de Paris.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: During scheduled tour hours

How to get there & what’s nearby

Palais Garnier is easy to reach on Paris’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Eiffel Tower and The Louvre. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Paris travel guide.