Top 6 of the world's most spectacular

theaters

Shakespeare's Globe theater (London, UK)The original Globe theater was built by Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, in 1599, but was destroyed by fire in 1613.A replica was built in 1997 just meters from the original site, with historical records used for guidance.Though almost identical in appearance to the original, the new 857-seat structure has several modern features, including roof-based sprinklers and a concrete theater pit, as opposed to the straw-strewn one that would have existed in 1599.One feature faithfully recreated is the roof - Shakespeare's Globe has the first and only thatched roof permitted in London since the great fire of 1666.

The Elgin and Winter Garden Theater Center  (Toronto, Canada)This is actually two theaters, stacked on top of each other, to create the world's only operating double-decker theater.The Winter Gardens Theater is seven stories above the Elgin Theater in downtown Toronto.

Minack Theatre (Cornwall, UK)The theater was the brainchild of the late Rowena Cade, who decided to allow her garden to be used by a local theatrical group.In 1932, Cade, with the help of her gardener, hauled several tons of rock from the beach below and created a more permanent venue, which she opened to the public.Today, there are performances between June and September, though the theater remains open all year round.

Margravial Opera House (Bayreuth, Germany) Built in 1745, the UNESCO-listed Margravial Opera House is regarded as the finest baroque theater in Europe.The stage has a depth of 27 meters and was the largest in Europe until 1871.Much of the original materials remain along with original structures, such as the twin staircases that led up to the private box belonging to Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreut and his wife, who commissioned the theater.

Teatru Manoel (Valetta, Malta)Teatru Manoel is one of Europe's oldest working theaters -- it was built in 1731 with funds from The Knights of Malta, a Western Christian military order.It remained unscathed during both World Wars.

State Theatre (Sydney, Australia)Sydney's State Theatre opened in 1928.It was designed by Aussie architect Eli White, but his decision to base his masterpiece on the work of American John Eberson resulted in a mishmash of Gothic, Italian and art deco styles.The theater contains the second largest chandelier in the world and a priceless Wurlitzer organ, and is recognized by The National Trust of Australia.