What is the lake beneath the Paris Opera House?

Answer by  aidaadorer (32)

The "mysterious lake" underneath the famous Opera Garnier in Paris, France is actually not a lake at all; it is a stone water tank that was created to hold the excess water from the swampy ground whilst stabilizing the structure of the opera house.

Answer by  patti (29325)

The lake beneath the Opera Garnier is formed by an underground stream. The lake has fish and plants in it. When the opera house was proposed on the site, it was known that the excavation would run into water. The opera house has a deep understructure to accommodate sets up to 50' high.

Answer by  user71 (796)

When construction for the Paris Opera House began, it was discovered that there was an underground spring and lake on the site. It is still there under the cellars.

Answer by  TV (305)

Not a true lake and without an official name, it is actually swampy marshland that was discovered during the 19th century construction of the Palais Garnier. The "swamp" or underground lake could not be drained even after months of trying. Instead an underground reservoir was constructed below the building to hold the water.

Answer by  HotWheelz (317)

There is really no name for the lake that is located beneath the Paris Opera House. It is said that the lake formed by accident. One of the workers bumped up against a pipe, which caused it to leak. That leak is what caused the lake to appear under the Opera House.

Answer by  will12 (128)

The underground lake, unnamed, lies beneath the cellar of the Paris Opera House, originally discovered after initial construction has started by architect Charles Garnier. The lake became a centerpiece for novelist Gaston Leroux's "Phantom of the Opera."