A projector includes an illumination optical system, an image formation element that spatially modulates light from the illumination optical system, and a projection lens that projects the spatially modulated light. The illumination optical system includes a light source that emits light of a first wavelength, a fluorophore unit including a reflection region reflecting the light of the first wavelength and a fluorophore region including a fluorophore emitting fluorescent light of a wavelength that differs from the first wavelength by irradiation of the light of the first wavelength, a first optical element reflecting a first linearly polarized light and allowing a second linearly polarized light to pass through the first optical element, and a second optical element provided on a light path between the first optical element and the fluorophore unit which changes a polarized state of irradiated light.