Commissioned by Napoleon III and designed by Charles Garnier, the Opéra Garnier was inaugurated in 1875. Its opulent Beaux-Arts architecture, dramatic staircase, and lavish interiors have inspired works like Gaston Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera.”
With its fusion of sculpture, painting, and gold-leaf ornamentation, the building remains a temple of performing arts, hosting ballets, concerts, and operas.
