Historic Site · Sydney, Australia
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Built 1973. It drew 10,900,000 visitors in 2026.
Photo: BAVhah via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Sydney, Australia |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 1973 |
| Architect | Jørn Utzon, Peter Hall |
| Height | Height: 67 m |
| Annual visitors (2026) | 10,900,000 |
| Coordinates | 33.8568° S, 151.2151° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Sydney Opera House is known for
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
About Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings, and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, 16 years after Utzon's 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition.
History
Planning began in the late 1940s when Eugene Goossens, the Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music, lobbied for a suitable venue for opera and orchestral performance. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance home, the Sydney Town Hall, was not considered large enough. By 1954, Goossens succeeded in gaining the support of New South Wales Premier Joseph Cahill, who called for designs for a dedicated opera house.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Sydney Opera House website — the official site has the current visiting information.
Best time to visit
Year-round; March to May and September to November are the mildest months.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Sydney |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) |
| Distance from the airport | 5.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) · Sydney (Mascot), Australia · 6.5 miles away
- Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) · Sydney, Australia · 28.9 miles away
- Newcastle Airport (NTL) · Williamtown, Australia · 81.6 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Sydney Opera House, with a link to each place's own site.
- Park Hyatt Sydney · The Rocks, Sydney
Harbour hotel beside the Opera House
- Shangri-La Sydney · The Rocks, Sydney
Harbour hotel with Opera House views
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Sydney Opera House, with a link to each place's own site.
- Aria Sydney · Macquarie Street, Sydney
Fine dining by the harbour
- Quay · Upper Circular Quay, Sydney
Restaurant overlooking the Opera House
More landmarks in Australia
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Sydney Opera House?
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Where is Sydney Opera House located?
Sydney Opera House is in Sydney, Australia. Its coordinates are 33.8568° S, 151.2151° E.
How do I get to Sydney Opera House?
The nearest town is Sydney, and the nearest airport is Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD), about 5.6 miles away (straight line).
When is the best time to visit Sydney Opera House?
Year-round; March to May and September to November are the mildest months.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45178 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://sydneyoperahouse.com — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
- https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/ — Official tourism / managing-body page — best time to visit.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.