I’m starting my coverage of the incredible interior of Opéra Garnier, and this is the first thing I saw as I entered. It’s quite the grand entry, but it only gets better from here.

Beyond being a remarkable structure in Paris, the Opéra Garnier is also famous as the setting for the “Phantom of the Opera,” a serialized novel published by Gaston Leroux from 1909 to 1910. The story was later made into a hit Broadway play, the longest-running Broadway show, and eventually a movie.

The ornate interior, especially the multi-candled ornate lamps, strikes a Phantom of the Opera vibe with me. While the rest of the opera house is indeed grand, this picture reminds me of the story the most, perhaps because a significant part of the musical takes place underground.

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