Otáčivé hlediště Český Krumlov

Otáčivé hlediště Český Krumlov is a one-of-a-kind open-air theatre with a rotating auditorium, tucked inside the castle park close to the Bellarie summer palace in Český Krumlov. During a performance the entire seating structure turns, carrying the audience smoothly between different scenic settings arranged among the park's trees, paths and ponds — with no scene-change breaks and without spectators ever leaving their seats.

How did the idea of a rotating auditorium come about?

The concept of turning the summer palace and its surrounding park into a natural stage was born in 1958 among artists from the South Bohemian Theatre in České Budějovice. It was championed in Bohemia by stage designer Joan Brehms, of Latvian origin, together with Otto Haas, then director of the theatre. Their goal was to make the living landscape of the park an active part of the performance rather than a static backdrop.

What did the first rotating platform look like?

The first, improvised revolving platform turned for the very first time in 1958 and could accommodate only sixty spectators. Moving it initially required forty people pushing the structure by hand. It wasn't until 1960 that human power was replaced by an electric motor, making the rotation smoother and far easier to control.

What changed during the reconstruction of the late 1980s and early 1990s?

Between 1989 and 1993 the venue underwent a general reconstruction that gave the Revolving Auditorium its present-day appearance. A further 1993 renovation expanded seating capacity to 644, turning what began as a modest park stage into a full-scale theatre able to host larger audiences and more elaborate productions.

How does the rotating mechanism actually work?

The seating structure weighs roughly 650 tons and is driven by four electric motors. Their job is to keep the transitions between the different scenic locations set up around the park smooth and synchronized, so spectators experience no jolts or interruptions as the setting changes.

Where exactly is the theatre located?

The venue sits within the castle park in Český Krumlov, right next to the Bellarie summer palace, which serves as a scenic backdrop for many of the productions staged here. Its approximate coordinates are 48.810°N, 14.308°E.

What makes this theatre stand out among other open-air venues?

For more than six decades, the Otáčivé hlediště has been recognized as a unique natural open-air theatre worldwide, combining a rotating auditorium with the living scenery of a landscaped park. This blend of engineering, garden architecture and stagecraft makes a visit here markedly different from watching a performance in an enclosed hall — the audience becomes part of a shifting, moving space.

Frequently asked questions

Does the auditorium move throughout the entire performance? The structure rotates at key moments when the scenery changes, moving the audience between different points in the park without interrupting the show.

How many spectators can the auditorium seat? Following the 1993 renovation, the theatre offers 644 seats.

Who was behind the creation of this venue? The idea was carried out by artists from the South Bohemian Theatre in České Budějovice, with stage designer Joan Brehms and theatre director Otto Haas playing the key roles.

How heavy is the rotating structure? The auditorium and its mechanism together weigh about 650 tons and are powered by four electric motors.