In addition to the difficulty of securing foundations, construction was also delayed by the War of 1870/71 and the collapse of the Second Empire.
When the Salle Le Peletier, which had existed since 1821, burned down in 1873 (the fire, which lasted 72 hours, was probably caused by the opera house’s innovative gas lighting), the government of the Third French Republic decided to complete construction of the Opéra Garnier in January 1875.
