---
node: au_sydney_opera_house
type: art
slug: sydney_opera_house
title: "Sydney Opera House"
lead: "The performing-arts complex in Sydney famous for its sail-like roof, one of the great buildings of the 20th century."
published: 2026-07-15
updated: 2026-07-15
image_file: sydney_opera_house.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sydney_Opera_House_-_Dec_2008.jpg"
image_author: "Diliff"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 3.0"
---

## Overview

The Sydney Opera House is a performing-arts complex on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour. Designed by the Danish architect Jørn Utzon, it was begun in 1959 and opened in 1973.

## Description

Its defining feature is a series of shell- or sail-like roofs clad in white tiles, a bold form hard to build with the technology of the day. Inside are a concert hall and an opera theatre, among other venues.

## History and legacy

Construction ran far over cost and time, and Utzon left in 1966 after disputes, never seeing it finished. Today the building is a symbol of Australia and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2007.