Twice destroyed by fire and twice restored to its former splendour (the last time between 1996 and 2003), for centuries La Fenice – literally, the Phoenix – has been Venice’s main stage for world-class opera, music, theater, and ballet.

Its age of splendour came in the 19th century when the theatre hosted the premieres of operas by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. Not only La Fenice is strongly associated with Venice’s cultural heritage, but also it’s also a stunning feat of architecture. The Opera House is still in use today, and has hosted some of the most important theatre pieces of the 20th century, including Igor Stravinskij, Benjamin Britten, Sergej Prokofiev, Luigi Nono and Bruno Maderna.