When did the Sydney Opera House open?

Danish architect Jørn Utzon won the international design competition in 1957, and construction began in 1959. The project was expected to take four years and cost about A$7 million, but it took 14 years and cost around A$102 million. Engineering the famous shell-shaped roof proved so difficult that Utzon resigned in 1966 amid disputes and never returned to see it finished. Queen Elizabeth II opened the building on 20 October 1973. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, making it one of the youngest buildings ever to receive that status.