The History Of The Sydney Opera House In 1 Minute

Australia’s most recognisable building is a of creative and technical achievement and an architectural icon of the 20th century. Having gained worldwide recognition, the Sydney Opera House – located on Bennelong Point along the Sydney Harbour – is now included on the National Heritage List and the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 1952, the Premier of New South Wales, Joe Cahill, announced the government’s intention of putting Sydney on the world map by creating an opera house. Following this, an international competition was announced in January 1956, attracting over 220 final entries from 32 countries. The design by Pritzker Prize winner, the Danish architect Jørn Utzon, was chosen with his intention of creating a ‘sculptural form that would relate as naturally to the harbour as the sails of its yachts’.

Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Premier Cahill insisted the construction of the Opera House would commence in 1957 before the unique shell designs and their supports were resolved. As a result, construction of this building took 16 years to complete. The opera house was also influenced by Mayan architecture and has 100 metre-wide stairs leading visitors to the Opera House. One million tiles were developed by one of the best ceramic factories in the world, Höganäs in Sweden, and they line the shells and provide stunning reflections of the surroundings.

Sydney Opera House, designed by Jorn Utzon

Further complications between Utzon and the new NSW Government – led by Premier Askin – resulted in the resignation of Utzon in 1966. With the podium in place and the structure of the roof incomplete, the government appointed new architects to complete the construction of the Sydney Opera House with the final budget standing at $102 million.

Thirty years after completion, the Sydney Opera House Trust received Utzon’s Design Principles booklet to ensure that further advancement and modifications will occur accordingly. It was completed in 2006 in collaboration with Australian architect Richard Johnson and Utzon’s son Jan Utzon.

Today, the Sydney Opera House hosts tours for an insight into the iconic landmark and behind the scenes experiences, as well as tours featuring food from the Opera Kitchen.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.