Soteska is a small and pleasant locality squeezed between two wooded plateaus, not far from the famous health resort of Dolenjske Toplice. Today Soteska is mainly famous for its outstanding historical and architectural heritage, the once important Soteska Manor and still mysterious Devil’s Tower.
Within a former baroque park protected by walls stands the clover-shaped medieval garden pavilion known as the Devil’s Tower. The lords of Soteska created it as an escape from reality into mysticism. That is why there are no windows on the ground floor of the Devil’s Tower, so that they would not be disturbed by an image from the real world and real life.
The interior is richly decorated. The ground floor is decorated with well and portal motives painted in the illusionist manner. The vault is decorated with a scene depicting the Kidnapping of Ganymede by Zeus, as portrayed in Antique mythology. On the first storey one can still admire the partially visible illusionist paintings of painted colonnaded structures and recognize the monumental female figures, which personify faith, hope and love. The paintings, which date back to the end of the 17th century, were created in the workshop of the master Almanach.
Today the municipality of Dolenjske Toplice uses it as a venue for musical and cultural events and thus in a way continues the tradition of a building that has always served for entertainment and pleasure.
And just as the scene on the vaulting addresses you directly from ancient mythology, so the music proceeding from the Devil's Tower, with its fine acoustics, will capture you and carry you pleasurably away by the light of flambeaux..