"The pinnacle of Napoleon III architecture, the resplendent Le Palais Garnier opera house is opulent from every angle. The facade is covered with ornamentation and busts, as well as l'Harmonie and La Poésie, the two gilded copper statues flanking the entrance from on high. Inside, make sure to channel your best "Phantom of the Opera" moment on the iconic lobby's Grand Staircase, a triumph of decadent Parisian design. Admission costs about 14 euros, but it's well worth it—walking through these public spaces is like walking into the Paris of the past." - Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, Julia Eskins
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