Sydney Opera House

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"Few buildings in Sydney are as famous as the Sydney Opera House. The story behind this magnificent structure began in 1956 when the New South Wales Government called an open competition for the design of two performance halls—one for opera and one for symphony concerts—that would put Sydney on the map.

The Danish architect Jørn Utzon was unknown for his work at the time, yet his entry for the competition which consisted of a few simple sketches intrigued the famous Eero Saarinen who was part of the jury. “The drawings submitted for this scheme are simple to the point of being diagrammatic," observed the jury. "Nevertheless, we are convinced that they present a concept of an opera house that is capable of becoming one of the great buildings of the world."

Construction of the Sydney Opera House began in March 1959 after the demolition of the existing Fort Macquarie Tram Depot. The project was built in three phases: the foundation and building of the podium overlooking the Sydney Harbor, the construction of the outer shells, and the construction of the interior. The building was completed and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in October of 1973. With an original estimate of 7 million dollars the budget was vastly exceeded with a final cost of 102 million dollars.

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