Hanoi Opera House

xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0

A pale-yellow Beaux-Arts opera house modelled on the Palais Garnier, completed in 1911.

It took the French over a decade to finish this building, with the Palais Garnier in Paris as the template: paired columns, a domed roof, stone balconies, pale yellow walls picked out in white. The opera house opened in 1911, and it was never only a theatre — it was from this building's balcony, in August 1945, that a proclamation was read to the crowd packing the square below. Inside, the U-shaped auditorium with its crystal chandeliers and red velvet seats keeps its original form. Daytime access is limited to a restricted tour schedule, so the surest way inside is to buy a ticket for a performance.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Hanoi Opera House?

Evening, when the facade is lit

How much does it cost to visit Hanoi Opera House?

Ticket prices depend on the performance

How long do you need at Hanoi Opera House?

30 - 45 minutes

What are the opening hours of Hanoi Opera House?

According to the published performance and tour schedule

Did you know

The opera house was completed in 1911, modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris.
It is built in the Beaux-Arts style, with pale yellow walls trimmed in white.
In August 1945 the square in front of the building was the setting for events of the August Revolution.
The U-shaped auditorium inside keeps its crystal chandeliers and red velvet seating.

Travel tips

Buy a ticket to a performance if you want to see inside — daytime tours are very limited.
The facade looks best lit at night, shot from the square in front.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi_Opera_House

Updated: 2026-08-16