The site of the Križanke Summer Theatre (Poletno gledališce Križanke) was originally occupied by a large monastery complex, the seat of the Order of Teutonic Knights, who settled in Ljubljana early in the second half of the 13th century. The original Early Gothic Church of the Knights of the Cross (Križevniška cerkev) was at the beginning of the 18th century replaced by a Baroque building designed by the Italian architect Domenico Rossi. After World War II, the authorities evicted the monks and the monastery complex was assigned to the festival management company Ljubljanski festival and the Secondary School of Design and Photography.

The redesign of the complex was entrusted to the then eighty year old architect Jože Plecnik. The rebuilding took place from 1952 to 1956, based on designs modelled on the principles of Renaissance architecture. Plecnik built a number of windows into the original monastery walls, enabling thus a view of the inside of the complex from the outside. Next to the church he designed an exhibition space for the archaeological remains of the monastery complex. The so called Infernal Yard (Peklensko dvorišce) behind the church, which features an originally designed paving and interesting wall lamps, was envisaged to be the venue of chamber events. The summer theatre, located on the site of the former monastery garden, was designed by Plecnik's students Anton Bitenc and Viktor Molk, and the restaurant situated in the main yard by Plecnik himself.

Sheltered from rain by a movable canvas roof, the Križanke Summer Theatre is Ljubljana's most popular outdoor concert venue. Due to its central location and excellent acoustics, it has been used as the venue for the finest international musical events.