but nobody remembers what he wore.The Neo-Baroque Palais Garnier, usually called the Opera de Paris (Paris Opera) seats 2200 opera fans. Its stage can hold up to 450 artists. Even if you don't like opera, you should visit this splendid building with its statues and busts of famous composers. Construction started in 1862 but was only completed in 1875. The building sits on an erstwhile swamp over an underground lake. It took eight months of pumping just to remove the water. In 1896 a counter-weight of its magnificent six-ton chandelier fell killing someone. This opera house is the inspiration for the French novel The Phantom of the Opera and the musical of the same name, the longest running and most lucrative Broadway show in history. The new Paris Opera, known as the Opera Bastille is on the other, less opulent side of town. It was supposed to replace the old one, but did not.Galeries Lafayette is a 10-story department store that dates from the beginning of the previous century. You might want to look at the building, its beautiful Art Nouveau staircases, and its wares even if you really don't feel like buying anything. This is the flagship store of an international chain. One branch even opened in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan but went out of business. What do you want to bet that somebody got fired?The competitor Printemps (Spring) flagship department store can be found just down the street from Galeries Lafayette. It is also part of an international chain, and its only American branch, in Denver, Colorado instead of Manhattan also went belly up after only sixteen months and the building is now used as a medical testing center. The Parisian landmark store was founded in 1865. The building is known for an Art Deco stained-glass cupola that was removed in 1939 for obvious reasons. The cupola was restored in 1973 by its designer's grandson using the original plans. The building's façade and cupola are registered as national monuments.Pigalle is centered around Place Pigalle, bordering the ninth and the eighteenth arrond