The World's Most Spectacular Staircase

Before you stands what is often called the most spectacular staircase in the world: the Grand Staircase of the Opéra Garnier. Bourgeois women once climbed it step by step in their gowns, trains trailing behind them, on the way to their boxes. It is so grand and beautiful that in The Phantom of the Opera it serves as the setting for the masked ball.

What makes it especially graceful is the way it curves, splitting from a single flight into two sweeping arms. Charles Garnier is said to have drawn inspiration from the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, often called the original of the opera house. Compare the two and the similarities show up, from the single flight dividing into two to the placement of the sculptures.

Marble adds to the elegance. Look at the balustrades and the sculpture pedestals: alongside white marble, you'll find red, yellow and green. These rare stones were brought in from places famed for marble, including Italy, Sweden and Algeria, and they show how much care Garnier put into the decoration.

Climb one level and you'll find a statue on each side of the entrance to the second floor, the work of sculptor Jules Thomas, a friend of Garnier's. On the left is Melpomene, goddess of tragedy, holding a sword with a grimacing mask at her waist. On the right is Thalia, goddess of comedy, wearing a crown of vines and holding a harp. A smiling mask and a staff, which aren't on these statues, are also symbols of Thalia. The two goddesses appear again later on the tour, so keep these details in mind.

The top of the staircase is the most beautiful photo spot in the Opéra Garnier. If you entered right at your booked time, though, many visitors' routes overlap and it can get crowded. If it's packed now, we suggest coming back to take your photos when you pass the Grand Staircase again at the end of the tour, when it's quieter.