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The Alte Oper, or Old Opera House, is a stunning, modern recreation of Frankfurt's original Opera House that opened in 1880 in grand style with Kaiser Wilhelm I in attendance. The original Opera House was designed by German architect, Richard Lucae in a grandiose, Italian Renaissance style befitting an opera house of the time. The Opera House was destroyed during World War II, and was allowed to remain a burned out shell until it finally was restored and re-opened in 1981.

For over twenty years, the citizens of Frankfurt discussed various proposals of demolishing the ruins of the Opera House and replacing it with yet another, tall office building. With millions raised by local business, citizens and state government, the old Opera House rose from the ashes to become, Alte Oper, a thriving cultural institution in Frankfurt.

The exterior and lobby were restored in keeping with the original Italian Renaissance design, with the rest of the interior constructed with modern concert halls and banquet rooms. Ballet, opera, theatre, classical and modern concerts are now offered at the Alte Oper, with another opera house constructed in Frankfurt in the 1950s, the primary venue for classic opera performances.

The Alte Oper building is particularly magnificent at nighttime, with its glowing lights shining against the modern backdrop of the tall towers of the Frankfurt skyline. It is centrally located along the Fressgass, a pedestrian area filled with outdoor cafes and shops, that makes it convenient for a visitor to admire the construction of the Alte Opera building up close, with its Panther Quadriga and looming statutes of Mozart and Goethe peering down on the plaza below. With a popular restaurant, as well as an outdoor café overlooking the plaza and a beautiful fountain, the Alte Oper is a cultural institution and meeting place for the citizens of Frankfurt, as well as an eminent concert hall.

Where is Alte Oper: Opernplatz

How to get to Alte Oper: By U-Bahn - U6/U7 to Alte Oper station and S-Bahn to Taunusanlage station

For more information on current events visit the Alte Oper web site.





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