Hungarian State Opera House, Budapest, Hungary

The Budapest opera house is a beautiful Neo-Renaissance building opened in 1884. Construction included the use of marble and frescos by some of the best artisans of that era. Designed by Miklós Ybl, one of Europe's leading architects in the mid to late 19th century, the Budapest Opera House quickly became one of the most prestigious musical institutions in Europe. Many important artists performed here, including Gustav Mahler, who was also the director for three seasons.

The Budapest Opera House is considered to be amongst the best opera houses in the world in terms of its acoustics, and has an auditorium that seats 1200 people. It is horseshoe-shaped and, according to measurements done by a group of international engineers, has the third best acoustics amongst similar European venues (after the Scala in Milan and the Paris Opera House). The statue of Ferenc Erkel stands in front of the Opera House. He was the composer of the Hungarian national anthem and the first music director of the Opera. The other statue in front of the Budapest Opera is of Ferenc Liszt, the well-known Hungarian composer.

References:

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User Reviews

Ralph Higginbotham (2 years ago)
We did the tour of the Opera house. It's a beautiful building with an interesting history. The mini concert for the tour group at the end was wonderful. Professional singers from the state Opera, not amateurs.

Austin Chi (2 years ago)
Gorgeous Theatre! Sadly it is under renovation for the time being however they offer tours to see the inside of the theater which include a short 15 minute “demo” by two opera singers. Just be cautious if you buy show tickets from the Hungarian opera house website, those tickets are actually for shows at the Erkel theater, not the Hungarian state opera house.

Nora Szopory (2 years ago)
As we visited in January 2019 I couldn't see a show because the building is under renovation. However, there is a guided tour through the building that excludes the main auditorium, because of the renovations. As a compensation there was a short opera performance in the foyer, which blew me away. The tour is very reasonable, and very informative, hopefully next time we come, we can see a show. Highly recommend

Nicola Such (2 years ago)
Stunning opera house. Extravagant and breathtakingly beautiful. Be aware it's under renovation this year so performances are held at another local theatre. Don't miss out on the tour though, it's interesting and performers are spectacular!

J.C. van Doesburg (3 years ago)
Beautiful country, beautiful city. Very rich history. Visiting the Opera House is near mandatory. It is located opposite Castle Hill, on the other side of the Danube. Find the many authentic restaurants and walk the streets at night.

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Historic Site of the week

Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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