Hanoi Opera House
The timeless French charm in the heart of the capital city
Don’t forget to pay a visit to Hanoi Opera House – one of the most famous and sophisticated symbols of French architecture highlights in the capital city.
Speaking of the most profound influence of French architecture in Hanoi, it would be a great mistake not to mention Hanoi Opera House. Dubbed as one of the most beautiful theatres in the world, the Opera House has “conquered” the heart of both Hanoians and tourists with its distinctive and delicate European architecture. Let’s start our journey exploring the beauty of this symbolic landmark!
The unique European architecture in the heart of Asia
Located at the centre of the capital city, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Opera House is a famous destination for tourists when visiting the city.
Constructed by the two well-known French architects, Harley and Broyer, in the years 1901-1911 (during the period of Vietnamese domination), the theatre served as a place for luxurious classical art performances such as Opera music, Chamber music, or drama for the mandarins or the French elite as well as some Vietnamese bourgeois.
The Opera House’s gorgeous design got inspired by many well-known and fantastic French architectural work, one of which is the famous Paris Opera House.
Due to the ups and downs of history, the theatre suffered from degradation and later undergone the restoration and maintenance processes. Say goodbye to the original pale yellow colour; the Opera House welcomes its new fresh appearance with a dark golden coat interlacing with white.
Hanoi Opera House covers an area of 2,600m2 with a length of 87m, a width of 30m and the highest point compared to the ground is 34m. The main facade of the theatre stands out with Ionic columns, forming five hollow spaces in the middle and two closed areas at the roof. The Pyramid-shaped roof with stone tiles reminds art lovers of the splendour Renaissance architecture.
The theatre makes a strong impression on tourists with a feeling of European “breath” through the fine lines of motifs and traditional pattern carvings. There are three main areas inside the theatre – the main hall, the audience room, and the mirror room.
Entering the main hall, visitors cannot help feeling overwhelmed by its glamorous splendour. Whitestone imported directly from Italy cover the whole room combining with the red carpet in the aisle creates a luxurious feeling of nobility like British royal palace. The ceiling and surrounding walls sparkle with copper and gold plated small chandeliers, giving off a vintage and great look.
Next is the audience room where the performing art activities take place. Inspired by the famous Roman Arena, the area consists of a central stage and an arc-shaped stand embracing the stage. This subtle design makes the audience’s vision unobstructed and produces the best sound quality to every corner. Besides, the room fills with 598 seats distributed evenly to three floors, offering the most comfortable space to enjoy fantastic performances.
The last but impressive structure of the Opera House is the mirror room, where vital ceremonies or meetings between high-ranking leaders of the Parties and heads of State take place. Besides, the mirror room is also the venue for small-scale chamber art and press conferences.
The room shows off a classic and elegant “breath” from the harmonious combination of Mozaic- styled large doors, gold plated hanging lamps, beautiful stone floors, crystal chandeliers, and classic French-style furniture.
Moreover, there is a wide range of other extra architectural works such as the administration room, 18 dressing rooms, two vocal training rooms, libraries, and meeting rooms. Visitors can also purchase some small souvenirs at the galleries or shops inside the theatre. For those who are more interested in the history of the theatre, don’t forget to stop by the display area and photo galleries related to the event taking place in August Revolution Square.
A symbol of cultural and historical timeless beauty
The Hanoi Opera House possesses not only priceless value in terms of history and usage but also a unique architectural work, achieving outstanding recognition of culture and aesthetics. In 2011, the theatre was proud to be recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as a National Heritage.