The Teatro Real is Madrid's opera house. It is located in Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace. Construction began in 1818, and it opened in 1850. It remained an opera house until 1925, when it was forced to close due to structural problems in the building. It did not reopen until 1966 as a symphony concert hall. Between 1988 and 1997, it underwent a major renovation that once again transformed it into an opera house.