About
Operaen, the Copenhagen Opera House, is Denmark's national opera house and the home of the Royal Danish Opera. It stands on the island of Holmen in Copenhagen harbour, at Ekvipagemestervej 10, a short walk from the city's waterfront and old naval quarter.
The building
Designed by the architect Henning Larsen and opened in 2005, the house is a modern piece of architecture set against the water. Its clean lines and open approach to the harbour make it a striking sight whether you arrive on foot, by bicycle or from the sea, and it is widely regarded as one of the most modern opera houses in the world.
What a visit offers
- Performances by the Royal Danish Opera, which make the building's main purpose easy to enjoy in person.
- Architecture worth seeing even outside a performance, particularly the relationship between the building and the harbour.
- A setting on Holmen, an area of old naval buildings and open waterside space that gives the visit a calm, distinctive character.
Planning your trip
Holmen sits close to the centre of Copenhagen, so the opera house fits easily into a day of walking along the harbour or exploring the city's older districts nearby. If you are coming for a performance, it is worth allowing time to arrive comfortably and to look around the building before the curtain goes up.
