Ateliers Berthier

The Ateliers Berthier span the block with a long, austere facade of gray stone and massive, multi-paned windows. Charles Garnier designed this building in eighteen ninety-five to serve as the sculpture workshop for the Palais Garnier opera house. Sculptors and decorators worked here to craft the elaborate stone ornaments and stage sets for the nearby theater. Today, the Paris Opera maintains these workshops, where artisans still build scenery, costumes, and props by hand for performances across the city.