Why not begin with the shopping, one of the most popular draw to the Opera district. Your apartment rentals in Paris means you’ll never have to travel very far to bring your many bargains and choice items back home. Hugo Boss, Chanel and many other brands have stores here. Take a trip to the incredible Galeries Lafayette, founded in 1893, which includes big name stores such as H & M, Zara and Gap.
The Galeries Lafayette are best described as a shopper’s utopia, continually remaking itself to please new legions of delighted consumers. Their Christmas window displays are a Parisian tradition, photographed and enjoyed worldwide. The impressive main hall features a practically endless array of accessories, perfumes and other products. Some of the world’s most well-regarded designer labels can be found here, along with runway shows, deluxe groceries, internet access, a travel agency and multiple restaurants. Whether you’re window shopping or looking for a special gift (or something for yourself), there may be no better place to shop on Earth.
When you’ve found the items of your dreams, take a stroll and see the focal point of this district, the original Opera house, also known as the the Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more frquently as the Paris Opéra. This 2,200 seat opera house was designed by Charles Garnier and completed in 1875. Designed in the Neo-Baroque style, it is generally regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its day. Although the general lines are baroque and created in a classical, symmetrical style, it is also cited as an example of Beaux-Arts because of its use of exterior ornamentation.
Although it was originally christened the Académie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra, in 1978 it was re-named the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. When the new Opéra Bastille was finished in 1989, the theatre was re-named as the Palais Garnier (Garnier Palace). However, the Palais Garnier is still referred to by many Parisians as the “Paris Opéra”. When staying in your apartment rentals in Paris, you may also feel comfortable enough to make this statement with all the familiar élan of a native Parisian.
Designed as part of Emperor Napoleon III’s great Parisian reconstruction of the Second French Empire, a competition was held in 1861, which the architect Charles Garnier won. According tosome accounts, the Emperor's wife, the Empress Eugénie, asked Garnier whether the building would be in the Greek or Roman style. Garnier replied, "Madame, it will be in the Napoleon III style!" Certainly a shrewd answer, it remains a humorous anecdote associated with this bold undertaking.
As with many major undertakings, construction of the opera house was plagued by various hitches and delays, some quite serious. The marshy ground delayed the laying of the concrete, intensified by the presence of a subterranean lake, which required eight continuous months of pumping to drain. The presence of the underground lake was one of the inspirations behind Gaston Leroux’s famous Gothic novel, The Phantom of the Opera. Your home rental 75009 Paris at Opera means you will have experienced the same sights and sounds of those who have lived here in the past. Creation of the Palais Garnier was spurred in 1873, when the old Paris Opéra burned to the ground in a terrible conflagration that lasted a full day. By late 1874 Garnier and his massive workforce had completed construction of the Palais Garnier. It was formally inaugurated on January 15, 1875 with a gala performance that is still remembered today.
The theatre was given new electrical facilities in 1969, part of the original Foyer de la Danse was converted into new rehearsal space for the Ballet company in 1978, by the architect Jean-Loup Roubert. More restoration work began on the theatre in 1994. Stage machinery and electrical facilities were modernized, and the frame and foundation of the building buttressed. The restoration was completed in 2006, with the opulent interior kept intact in every detail.
Although slightly smaller in scale that its predecessor, the Palais Garnier consists of 118,404 square feet, and seats roughly 2,200 patrons under a central chandelier which weighs over six tons. Its stage has enough room to accommodate 450 performers. An ornate building, the style is opulently decorated with elaborate multicolored marble friezes, monumental columns, and impressive statuary, many of which portray the Greek mythological figures. Find a short term apartment rentals in Paris that suits you and take an evening stroll that ends up in these magical corridors. Bronze busts of many of the great composers, such as Mozart and Beethoven, adorn the columns of the theatre's front façade. The interior itself is a network of interweaving stairwells, corridors, alcoves and landings allowing for the socializing of large amounts of people during intermission. The décor consists of gold leaf, velvet, nymphs and cherubs. As such, Baroque sumptuousness is in great evidence.
The ceiling was repainted in 1964 by Marc Chagall, giving it a modern look that has been both praised and criticized for differing from the rest of the building’s general décor. Regardless, the interior beauty of this amazing jewel is not disputed, nor is the fun that can be had when you stay in this district yourself! Look for any apartment rental in Opera Quarter - Paris.
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