Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia)

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-purpose performing arts centre. It is located in Sydney, Australia’s most populous city and the capital of the state of New South Wales.

Boasting a striking architectural design, this performing arts centre was designed by the Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed by an Australian architectural team led by Peter Hall. Sixteen years after Utzon was selected as the winner of an international design competition in 1957, the building was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973.

With its captivating and extraordinary appearance, it is regarded as a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. This magnificent architectural structure was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 12 July 2005; on 28 June 2007, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was one of the winners of the ‘New7Wonders of the World’ campaign held on 7 July 2007.

The building hosts over 1,500 performances a year. A total of over 1.2 million visitors attend these shows. Situated on the shores of Sydney Harbour, this magnificent structure is not only captivating for the stage performances held within it, but also for its ever-changing illuminated exterior. Visited by millions of people every year, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most famous and distinctive buildings.