Teatro La Fenice

The rain really started to come down so we made our way to Teatro La Fenice, an opera house that allowed self-tours. “The Phoenix” as it translates, is one of the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre.

Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to “rise from the ashes” despite losing the use of three theatres to fire, the first in 1774 after the city’s leading house was destroyed and rebuilt but not opened until 1792; the second fire came in 1836, but rebuilding was completed within a year. However, the third fire was the result of arson. It destroyed the house in 1996 leaving only the exterior walls, but it was rebuilt and re-opened in November 2004.