ANSWERS

1. Who ordered the construction of the Opera?

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The Opera Garnier was ordered by Napoleon III.

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2. What are its various Architectural styles?

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The Opera displays important aspects of Baroque and includes elements from the the classicism of Palladio, and Renaissance architecture.

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3. What are the purpose of the large ramp on the West side of the Opera?

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The ramp is for the Emperor's carriages, so they can take them more easily to the Emperor's Pavillion.

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4. Why was the completion of the Opera delayed?

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The construction was delayed for years due to financial troubles, the Franco-Prussian War, and a fire in 1873.

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5. Who designed the Opera?

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The Opera was designed by the architecs Charles Garnier at the age of 35.

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6. What was the purpouse of the underground lake?

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When the foundation was being built, a combination of wells and steam pumps  could not keep the groundwater away for long enough to lay the substructure. Garnier incorporated a cistern into his design to redistribute the water and relieve the water pressure on the basement walls. It also kept the water available in case of a fire.

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7. What was the four allergorical groups of the facade?

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- The poetry of François Jouffroy (with his palms)
- The instrumental music of Eugène Guillaume (with his musical instruments)
- The Dance of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, whose naked characters provoked the ire of the Puritans (a stranger went so far as to throw an inkwell on the artist’s masterpiece on the night of the 26th. August 27, 1869);
- The lyric drama of Jean-Joseph Perraud (with his agonizing victim).

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