Just a short stroll from Circular Quay, on Bennelong Point, lies the famous Sydney Opera House, with it's high white roofs, resembling wind-blown sails and sea-shells. The project was a controversial one, a result of an international competition in the late 1950's. The Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who designed the original plans, quit about halfway through.

Inside the shell are an opera and concert hall, two theaters, restaurants, bars, a cinema, an Aboriginal artists' gallery and a library. Some locals just use it to dive of it after a couple of beers. If you want to know more about the history, venues, schedules, and special events, check out CitySearch.com.

©Erwin Bakx 1996