Designed in the 1950s by Jože Plečnik—the Slovene architect credited with elevating Ljubljana’s status as an elegant and liveable city of culture—Križanke Summer Theatre has several stages including the outdoor Devil's Courtyard, which is designed to feel like a Renaissance amphitheatre with arcaded walls etched with sgraffito and embellished with decorative sculptures.
Take in a concert or a show at Križanke Summer Theatre or explore the venue while on a guided walking and river cruise tour of Ljubljana’s historic city center, during which you learn the fascinating stories and secrets behind the city’s most famous landmarks and monuments.
Križanke Summer Theatre is located along Zoisova Cesta, one block west of the Ljubljanica River in Ljubljana’s historic center, a very walkable and bikeable district. If taking public transport, take bus line 2, 3, 11, 19, or 27 to the Križanke stop, which is directly across the street from the venue.
Križanke Summer Theatre hosts events year-round. The venue comes alive especially during the Ljubljana Festival (July - August) with its rich program of concerts, dance performances and operas featuring internationally-renowned artists. Festival events are also held at a number of other notable venues and public squares throughout the city.
Križanke was once the seat of the Teutonic Knights, a monastic order that settled in Ljubljana in the late 13th century. After World War II, the Communists evicted the monks and commissioned Jože Plečnik (then 80 years old) to re-imagine the space. But when his work was complete, authorities deemed it too fancy for the party, causing the architect to fall out of favor. His legacy, however, lives on here, and in the bridges and pathways he designed along the river.