Gran Teatre del Liceu

Barcelona's grand opera house on the Ramblas — open since 1847 and one of Europe's largest with 2,300 seats, rebuilt after fire in 1999.

The Gran Teatre del Liceu is Barcelona's largest and most prestigious opera house and one of the most important in Europe. It sits directly on the famous Ramblas in the heart of the Catalan capital. The house opened in 1847 and has since lived through a turbulent history — surviving fires, bombings and political upheavals. A devastating fire in 1994 destroyed nearly the entire auditorium; the faithful reconstruction was completed in 1999. Today the Liceu offers around 2,300 seats and one of the finest opera programmes on the Iberian Peninsula, from Verdi and Wagner to contemporary world premieres. A guided tour of the magnificent historic building is well worth the time even without a performance.