Open-Air Theatre "Pod Goroj"

The Open-Air Theatre “Pod goroj” is a unique outdoor theatre in Slovenia. It is amphitheatrical in shape, highly acoustic, and offers between 800 and 1,000 seats. Nestled in the shade of mighty spruces at the foot of Pohorje, it lies not far from the center of Ruše. It was built in 1931 at the initiative of local resident Vekoslav Janko, a leading tenor of the Ljubljana Opera. Just a year later, the first performance was staged here – Divji lovec, a folk play by Finžgar.

The natural environment of the theatre has remained almost unspoiled to this day. Time has indeed taken its toll on the weeping willow and some spruces, and the giant linden tree – once the symbol of the folk plays – is no longer there. However, a modest chapel and the “princely stone” still remain, which in 1933 and 1938 served as stage settings for performances of Jurčič’s Rokovnjači and Sket’s Miklova Zala. Every year at the end of August, the Open-Air Theatre comes to life as the main venue – the central stage – of the Festival Ruše Open-Air Stage (FLOR).