Sydney Opera House Tour – Thoughts, Tips & Trivia

Photo by Iza Sanchez

Star-struck is the best word I can think of to describe how I felt upon seeing the Sydney Opera House for the first time.

Since its completion in 1973 the Sydney Opera House has become perhaps, the country’s biggest celebrity with millions of followers on SNS and  is also the most photographed structure in Australia.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

Tourists are allowed to meander outside the opera house for as long they like, but, if you’d like to see it from the inside you can book a ticket and join one of several tours lined-up each day. The tour I joined was about 1.5 hours.

Our guide led us from one theater to another, while sharing insider trivia and gossip about the prince and princess of Denmark. According to her Princess Mary, who is Australian, met the crown prince of Denmark, Frederick at a bar in Sydney during the Sydney 2000 Olympics. They clicked and to this day are living happily together.

The royal couple graced the 40th anniversary ceremony of the Opera House in 2013, where Sydney Opera House’s renowned Danish designer Jørn Utzon was honored.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

The guided tour offers an opportunity to delve deeper into the history of Sydney Opera House and Jørn Utzon. Utzon’s rise to lead architect of the project best illustrates the power of an underdog. It was in 1957 when NSW Premier Joseph Cahill announced an international contest for the design of a national opera house.

Top architects from around the world participated and the judges had reviewed 233 entries. During the initial selection, the Utzon design was rejected. Some of the judges were traditionalists and found the design too avant-garde for the times.

However, by chance or probably by fate, an American Judge Eero Saarinen, decided to review the rejected entries and was impressed by Utzon’s design, with his support Utzon was back in the running.

Jørn Utzon’s design gained more fans as well as critics in the following days, it survived a few more eliminations but always made it through to the next round. In the end after  rigorous deliberation, Utzon won the contest.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

It was a life changing event for him and it also meant he had to uproot his business in Denmark and relocate to Sydney to join the team of experts who would oversee the construction. The work began in 1959 and for the next six years Jørn Utzon collaborated with the NSW government on the project.

Like many large-scale projects there were delays, setbacks and surging costs. By 1965 a new government was elected and the Ministry of Work’s began inquiries on Jørn Utzon’s plans, recommendations and cost estimates. Payments to Utzon were suspended which eventually urged him to resign as the Chief Architect in 1966.

When the news of his resignation went public people took to the streets to protest and demand for the government to reinstate Mr. Utzon. This never transpired and a few months after his resignation Utzon returned to Europe.

He went on to design other prominent structures like the parliament building in Kuwait in 1983 and received many international awards. Unfortunately, he was never able to travel back to Sydney to see his greatest masterpiece completed. Jørn Utzon died in Copenhagen in 2008.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

We watched a short video documentary during the tour. If I recall correctly, the project’s estimated timetable & cost was 6-7 years and around 7 million dollars, In the end, the project was completed in 13-14 years and cost up to 102 million dollars.

Nevertheless, our tour guide said the NSW government was able to gain back those costs in just a few short years after the inauguration.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

Going back to Jørn Utzon, although he was not able to return to Sydney, he reconciled with the NSW government. In 1999, NSW officials succeeded in inviting him to collaborate on design principles to be used for future projects and maintenance of the opera house. Jørn Utzon accepted the offer alongside his son Jan Utzon. In 2004, the then Premier Bob Car dedicated the enhanced reception hall to Utzon and renamed it the Utzon Room.

Photo by Iza Sanchez

The Sydney Opera House is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized as one of the monumental architectural achievements of the 20th century. The product of one man’s vision, creativity and boldness. An inspiring legacy and what I’d like to think of as Jørn Utzon’s gift to humanity.

Check out these Sydney Travel Guides for more info on cool attractions and things to do in the city

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