Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. In addition to representing Sydney, the opera house has also become a symbol for the country of Australia throughout the world. Resting majestically on Bennelong Point as it reaches into Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House is truly an unforgettable sight. The original plan to build the opera house was put forth in 1950, and designed by John Utzon. Interestingly enough, his vision was more advanced than architectural and engineering abilities of the decade, and it wasn’t until 1973 that his ideas were finally put into place. Utzon’s design was chosen. The irony was that his design was, arguably, beyond the capabilities of engineering of the time. Utzon spent a couple of years reworking the design and it was 1961 before he had solved the problem of how to build the distinguishing feature – the “sails” of the roof.



The Opera House covers 1.8 hectares of land. It is 183 meters long and about 120 meters wide at its widest point. It is supported on 580 concrete piers sunk up to 25 meters below sea level. Its power supply is equivalent for a town of 25,000 people. The power is distributed by 645 kilometers of electrical cable. The building and the setting look orchestrated, and the synergy between the setting and the building make it appear that the scheme actually involved flooding the harbor valley to set the building off to best advantage.


There are restaurants at the Opera House. It is often possible to purchase a combination deal of dinner and a ticket to a performance. The shops at the Opera House have wonderful merchandise. The profits help to keep this building in good repair.



reference: http://www.destination360.com/australia-south-pacific/australia/sydney-opera-house