Royal Opera, Opera house in Ghent, Belgium.

The Royal Opera is a theater building featuring a horseshoe-shaped main hall with three connected banquet rooms extending approximately 90 meters in total length. The interior accommodates around 1000 seats and blends classical architecture with functional design for different types of events.

A theatre of the Sint-Sebastiaan archers' guild stood on the Kouter from 1698, was rebuilt in 1737 to plans by Bernard de Wilde, and burned or made way for a new house. Ghent's city architect Louis Roelandt built the present Grand Théâtre in neoclassical style between 1837 and 1840. It served as Ghent's independent city opera until the 1981 merger with Antwerp, then passed to Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in 2014.

Performances here showcase both classical and modern works, with translations displayed above the stage for audience understanding. Visitors can experience the range of productions presented by local and international artists throughout the year.

The building is accessible for guided tours that provide insight into the interior design and architecture. Visitors should plan ahead since tour times are limited, and it is best to check ahead for current availability.

The opera house opened in 1840 as the Grand Théâtre, built by city architect Louis Roelandt on the site of the demolished Sint-Sebastiaansschouwburg of 1737. It replaced a theatre that had burned down in 1715, and the first opera staged in Ghent, Lully's Thésée, had been performed in 1698 in the guild hall of the Sint-Sebastiaan archers on the Kouter.