Place de l'Opéra

The Place de l'Opéra is defined by the massive, ornate facade of the Palais Garnier, which dominates the square and serves as the intended climax of the grand Avenue de l'Opéra. Created under Napoleon the Third as part of Baron Haussmann's sweeping renovation of Paris, the square functions as a junction for several major thoroughfares, including the Boulevard des Capucines and the Boulevard des Italiens.