Opera House

Designed by Miklós Ybl to commemorate the Hungarian millennium celebrations, Budapest's magnificent State Opera House was completed in 1884. Regarded as one of the most important historical buildings in Hungary, its elegantly styled neo-Renaissance proportions fit in perfectly with neighbouring buildings on Andrássy ut.

The façade of the building is decorated with statues of 16 of the world's greatest composers including Monteverdi, Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Bizet and Tchaikovsky. There are also representations of the muses of opera, together with sculptures of Franz Liszt and Ferenc Erkel (the composer of the Hungarian national anthem and director of the opera house when it opened in 1884) at ground level. The interior of the building is equally lavish. Karoly Lotz's frescoed ceiling in the main auditorium, which depicts 'Olympus, home of the Gods' is particularly breathtaking. What's more, over seven kilograms of gold were used to decorate the horseshoe shaped auditorium, which seats over 1200 people.

Photo 1358, Sept 2008

Opera House

Photo 1904, Sept 2008