General Information

The 19th-century building of Palais des Glaces houses two theatres, staging simultaneously two performances, often two comics, and sometimes shows for children. In the past the place’s walls were covered with mirrors, which gave the site its name (‘Ice Palace’). During the times of the Belle Époque it was one of the most popular Parisian attractions.

Additional Information

The theatre was renovated in 1981. Further renovations were done in 2002, and now the theatre is devoted to the works of contemporary authors.

History: Highlights

The theatre began with an 1838 project of architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff for a rotunda in the Champs-Élysées. Inaugurated in 1839, this structure was integrated with other Hittorff buildings for the Exposition Universelle (1855) and destroyed the following year.

History: Explained

A new replacement panorama, Le Panorama National, was designed by architect Gabriel Davioud at the corner of the Avenue d’Antin and the Champs-Élysées.In December 1893, the rotunda was turned into the Palais des Glaces (Ice Palace).