diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 44d5938e..2763d399 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 Development Version
 -------------------
 
-Nothing yet.
+Bug Fixes
+
+* ``Statement.get_type()`` now unwraps a leading parenthesis, so a
+  parenthesized statement such as ``(SELECT ...) UNION (SELECT ...)`` reports
+  the keyword inside the parentheses instead of ``UNKNOWN`` (issue727, pr877).
 
 
 Release 0.6.0 (Aug 13, 2026)
diff --git a/sqlparse/sql.py b/sqlparse/sql.py
index ec44a6da..e96b5509 100644
--- a/sqlparse/sql.py
+++ b/sqlparse/sql.py
@@ -419,9 +419,22 @@ def get_type(self):
         isn't a DML or DDL keyword "UNKNOWN" is returned.
 
         Whitespaces and comments at the beginning of the statement
-        are ignored.
+        are ignored.  A leading parenthesis is unwrapped, so parenthesized
+        statements such as ``(SELECT ...) UNION (SELECT ...)`` are
+        recognized by the keyword inside the parentheses.
         """
-        token = self.token_first(skip_cm=True)
+        parent = self
+        token = parent.token_first(skip_cm=True)
+
+        # Unwrap a leading parenthesis, e.g. "(SELECT ...) UNION (...)" or a
+        # nested "((SELECT ...))", so the keyword inside determines the type.
+        while isinstance(token, Parenthesis):
+            parent = token
+            # Skip the opening parenthesis punctuation as well as any
+            # whitespace and comments that follow it.
+            open_idx = parent.token_index(parent.token_first())
+            _, token = parent.token_next(open_idx, skip_cm=True)
+
         if token is None:
             # An "empty" statement that either has not tokens at all
             # or only whitespace tokens.
@@ -434,11 +447,11 @@ def get_type(self):
             # The WITH keyword should be followed by either an Identifier or
             # an IdentifierList containing the CTE definitions;  the actual
             # DML keyword (e.g. SELECT, INSERT) will follow next.
-            tidx = self.token_index(token)
+            tidx = parent.token_index(token)
             while tidx is not None:
-                tidx, token = self.token_next(tidx, skip_ws=True)
+                tidx, token = parent.token_next(tidx, skip_ws=True)
                 if isinstance(token, (Identifier, IdentifierList)):
-                    tidx, token = self.token_next(tidx, skip_ws=True)
+                    tidx, token = parent.token_next(tidx, skip_ws=True)
 
                     if token is not None \
                             and token.ttype == T.Keyword.DML:
diff --git a/tests/test_regressions.py b/tests/test_regressions.py
index aca7f7b3..51ccf193 100644
--- a/tests/test_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_regressions.py
@@ -516,3 +516,28 @@ def limit_recursion():
 def test_max_recursion(limit_recursion):
     with pytest.raises(SQLParseError):
         sqlparse.parse('[' * 1000 + ']' * 1000)
+
+
+def test_gettype_parenthesized_statement_issue727():
+    # A statement wrapped in parentheses (e.g. one side of a compound
+    # ``UNION``) must report the keyword found inside the parentheses
+    # instead of ``UNKNOWN``.
+    paren_union = sqlparse.parse(
+        '(select 1 as "a") UNION (select 2 as "a")')[0]
+    assert paren_union.get_type() == 'SELECT'
+
+    assert sqlparse.parse('(SELECT * FROM foo)')[0].get_type() == 'SELECT'
+    assert sqlparse.parse('  ( select 1 )')[0].get_type() == 'SELECT'
+    # Nested parentheses are unwrapped as well.
+    assert sqlparse.parse('((select 1))')[0].get_type() == 'SELECT'
+    # The keyword inside the parentheses is what counts, not SELECT.
+    assert sqlparse.parse(
+        '(INSERT INTO foo VALUES (1))')[0].get_type() == 'INSERT'
+    # A leading comment inside the parentheses is skipped.
+    assert sqlparse.parse(
+        '(  -- comment\n select 1)')[0].get_type() == 'SELECT'
+    # A CTE wrapped in parentheses still resolves to the DML keyword.
+    assert sqlparse.parse(
+        '(WITH foo AS (SELECT 1) SELECT * FROM foo)')[0].get_type() == 'SELECT'
+    # Empty parentheses have no keyword to report.
+    assert sqlparse.parse('()')[0].get_type() == 'UNKNOWN'