Bayreuth Festspielhaus
Richard-Wagner-Festspielhaus
Designed by Wagner himself for the performance of his operas, this theatre sits on a green hill north of the city, and tickets for the summer Bayreuth Festival are notoriously hard to get.
The Festspielhaus opened in 1876 with the premiere of The Ring of the Nibelung. Wagner designed it according to his own ideas: the orchestra pit is hidden beneath the stage, the wooden fan-shaped seating and its unique acoustics remain famous today. From July 25 to late August each year, the Bayreuth Festival performs only Wagner's works. Tickets must be bought well in advance on the official website, and in the past people often waited for years. Guided tours are offered outside festival season (suspended during rehearsals). The hillside park in front of the theatre can be strolled for free. It is about a 15-minute walk from the train station.
Opening hours
Guided tours by timed session; ticketed entry only during the music festival
Nearby sights
- Margravial Opera House
- Maximilianstraße & Old Town
- Holy Trinity Town Church
- New Palace Bayreuth
- Maisel's Bier-Erlebnis-Welt
- Haus Wahnfried (Richard Wagner Museum)
- Franz Liszt Museum
- Hofgarten Bayreuth