The Großes Festspielhaus (Great Festival Hall) was designed by the architect Clemens Holzmeister in 1956 for the Salzburg Festival in Austria. The Festspielhaus was inaugurated on 26 July 1960 with a performance of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
It is one of the largest stages in the world being one hundred metres wide (300+ feet) and the auditorium itself is square, seating 2,179 people. Public access is through five bronze doors, the facade of which bears a Latin motto by Thomas Michels: The Muse's holy house is open to those moved by song / divine power bears us up who are inspired.