Unique Facts About the Sydney Opera House, Australia’s Iconic Building

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Sydney is one of the cities in Australia that has many tourist destinations. In this city, there are the most unique and famous buildings built in the 20th century. The extraordinary architectural work is the Sydney Opera House.

This building has several performance spaces that can accommodate various types of events. Such as ballet, opera, theater, film, music, and festivals.

Other facilities are available such as cafes, restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops. This building has been one of the 7 natural wonders of the modern world since 2007 which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sydney Opera House
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Sydney Opera House with Various Interesting Facts

The Sydney Opera House tourist destination has several unique facts such as the following:

Roof Design Similar to Orange Peel

The shape of the roof of this building resembles a torn orange peel. Many also consider it like 14 shells.

The roof of the building is covered with more than one million tiles made in Sweden. Then the highest part of this roof is 6 meters above sea level or almost the same as a 22-story building.

Has 1000 Rooms

The Sydney Opera House has a total of 1000 rooms with different functions. However, there are 7 rooms that function as performance spaces.

The smallest performance room is called the Utzon Room with a capacity of 210 seats. The largest room is called the Concert Hall with a capacity of 2,679 seats.

In 1956, a Sydney Opera House Design Competition was Held

Jorn Utzon is an architect from Denmark who was named the winner of the 1956 Opera House International Design Competition. He received a cash prize of 5,000 Pounds Sterling.

Initially, the work was rejected in the competition. However, he emerged as the winner thanks to the fourth jury who chose him.

In 1973, it was opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II

The construction of the Sydney Opera House took up to 14 years. On October 20, 1973, after the construction was completed, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated it.

At the same time, Jorn Utzon received a gold medal from the Royal Institute of Architects Australia. Unfortunately, he did not attend the inauguration ceremony.

In 1960, Premiere Performance

Although still under construction, in 1960 an unofficial performance was held. The performer at the performance was Paul Robeson from the United States. When the construction workers took a break for lunch, he sang the song OI ‘Man River.

In 2000, Became an Olympic Triathlon Sport Facility

In 2000 it became an Olympic venue for the triathlon sport. The winner of the women’s category came from Switzerland, she was Brigitte McMahon. While the men’s category of the sport came from Canada, Simon Whitfield.

Many Instagrammable Photo Spots

As seen on the My OzLife YouTube channel when visiting this place, you can see amazing beautiful views, both day and night. There are many interesting photo spots such as at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, portraits with the harbor and Harbour Bridge as the background. Even many ships pass by which makes the atmosphere even more dramatic when capturing moments with videos or vlog needs.

Visiting Tips

When visiting the Sydney Opera House, bring drinking water, snacks, sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen because the weather is hot. Then wear comfortable shoes and clothes for activities in the area.

If you plan to watch a show, avoid bringing dangerous, noisy, and smelly items into the building. Maintain cleanliness and tidiness and do not damage existing facilities.

Do not take photos or videos carelessly without permission. To get to this location you can use various modes of transportation, from cars, buses, ferries, trains or planes. The cities near the Sydney Opera House are Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay and Bundaberg. /nen