Technically, architect Miklós Ybl kept his promise to Emperor Franz Josef that Budapest’s Opera House would be smaller than Vienna’s (it seats only 1,261 as opposed to 1,560). However, the Hungarian building’s interior outshines Austria’s in lavish ornamentation — a fact that didn’t escape the irritated Emperor’s notice. The giant chandelier weighs two tons and gets lowered once a year to have its 220 lightbulbs changed. It originally boasted 500 gas jets and hung 18 feet lower to prevent the flames from scorching the painted ceiling.