Bled is a
municipalityA municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. A municipality is typically governed by a mayor and a city council or municipal council.The notion of municipality...
in northwestern
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north...
in the region of
Upper CarniolaUpper Carniola was a kreis of the historical Habsburg crown land of Carniola from 1849 till 1919 and is nowadays a traditional region of Slovenia. The center of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.-External links:* . About the...
. The area within the
Julian AlpsThe Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from north-eastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 metres at the Triglav mountain. They are named after Julius Caesar, who founded the municipium of Cividale del Friuli at the foot of the mountains...
is a popular
tourist destinationA resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
.
History
A settlement area since
MesolithicThe Mesolithic or "Middle Stone Age" was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age. The term was introduced by John Lubbock in his work Pre-historic Times, published in 1865. The term was, however, not much used...
times,
Bled CastleBled Castle is a castle built on top of a 130 meter cliff overlooking lake Bled, located in Bled, Slovenia. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia, second only to Postojna Cave.-History and objects:...
was first mentioned as
Ueldes (
Veldes) within the
March of CarniolaThe March of Carniola was an imperial estate of the Holy Roman Empire and predecessor estate of the Duchy of Carniola. It corresponded roughly to the central region of the modern state of Slovenia. At the time of its creation, it served as a frontier defence against the Kingdoms of Hungary and...
on April 10, 1004, when it was awarded by
Emperor Henry IIHenry II , called the Holy or the Saint, was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of Germany in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004. He is the only German king to have been canonized.He was...
to
Bishop Albuin I of BrixenThe Bishopric of Brixen is a former Roman Catholic diocese and also a former ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire in the present Province of Bolzano-Bozen. The bishopric in the Eisack/Isarco valley was established in the 6th century and gradually received more secular powers...
. With Carniola it was ceded to
Rudolph of HabsburgRudolph I, also known as Rudolph of Habsburg – ) was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death...
after he defeated
King Ottokar II of BohemiaOttokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. From 1364 on Bled was part of the
Duchy of CarniolaThe Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
and of the
NapoleonicNapoleon Bonaparte later known as Napoleon I, and previously Napoleone di Buonaparte, was a military and political leader of France whose actions shaped European politics in the early 19th century.Born in Corsica and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France, Bonaparte rose to prominence...
Illyrian ProvincesThe Illyrian Provinces was an autonomous province of the Napoleonic French Empire on the north and east coasts of the Adriatic Sea between 1809 and 1816...
between 1809 and 1816.
After the dissolution of
Austria-HungaryAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
in 1918 it belonged to the
Kingdom of YugoslaviaThe Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a kingdom stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and became a summer domicile of the ruling House of Karađorđević, a tradition that President
Josip Broz TitoJosip Broz Tito Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz Tito (Cyrillic script: Јосип Броз Тито, (7 or 25 May 1892 – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. He was Secretary-General (later President) of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1939–80), and went on to lead the World War II...
continued, when he built his residence here in 1947. Bled became an independent
municipalitySlovenia is divided into 210 municipalities , of which 11 have urban status.Slovenian is an official language of all the municipalities. Hungarian is a second official language of 3 municipalities in Prekmurje: Dobrovnik , Hodoš and Lendava...
in 1996. In 2000, Bled became the home of
IEDC-Bled School of ManagementIEDC-Bled School of Management, located in Bled, Slovenia, is a Business School. It was founded in 1986 upon an initiative of Slovenian business community as the International Executive Development Center....
.
Tourism
Bled is known for the
glacialA glacier is a perennial mass of ice which moves over land. A glacier forms in locations where the mass accumulation of snow and ice exceeds ablation over many years...
Lake BledLake Bled is a glacial lake in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a popular tourist destination.-Geography and history:...
, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic
Bled CastleBled Castle is a castle built on top of a 130 meter cliff overlooking lake Bled, located in Bled, Slovenia. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia, second only to Postojna Cave.-History and objects:...
. The town is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called
kremna rezinaKremna rezina is a vanilla and custard cream cake dessert commonly associated with the town of Bled, a popular Alpine tourist destination in northwestern Slovenia. The cake was invented at the local Hotel Park in 1953 As many as 8 million cream cakes baked at its patisserie have been sold at the...
or
kremšnita.
NaturopathNaturopathy is an eclectic alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body's vital ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopathic philosophy favors a holistic approach and minimal use of surgery and drugs...
Arnold Rikli (1823-1906) from
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
contributed significantly to the development of Bled as a health resort in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all across the world. Today it is an important convention centre and tourist resort, offering a wide range of sport activities (
golfGolf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
,
fishingFishing is the activity of catching fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
,
horseback-ridingEquestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horses. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports.-Overview of equestrian activities:...
) and is a starting point for
mountain treksBackpacking combines hiking and camping in a single trip. A backpacker hikes into the backcountry to spend one or more nights there, and carries supplies and equipment to satisfy sleeping and eating needs.-Definition:A backpacker packs all of his or her gear into a backpack...
and
hikesHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking have been confirmed in studies...
especially within the nearby
Triglav National ParkTriglav National Park is a national park located in Slovenia. It was named after mount Triglav, a national symbol of Slovenia.Triglav is situated almost in the middle of the national park...
.
A small island in the middle of the lake is home to the
Assumption of MaryThe Assumption of Mary is a belief held by Christians of the Catholic Church as well as some Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Anglicans, that the Virgin Mary, at the end of her life, was physically taken up into heaven...
PilgrimageIn religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages...
Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from
prehistoryPrehistory is a term used to describe the period before recorded history. Paul Tournal originally coined the term Pré-historique in describing the finds he had made in the caves of southern France...
have been found on the island. Before the church was built, there was a temple consecrated to Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island on a traditional wooden row
bargeA barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
called
Pletna. The island on
Lake BledLake Bled is a glacial lake in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a popular tourist destination.-Geography and history:...
has 99 steps. A local tradition at weddings is for the husband to carry his new bride up these steps, during which the bride must remain silent.
Notable people
- Slavko Avsenik
Slavko Avsenik is a Slovenian composer and musician. His career accomplishments place him at the worldwide pinnacle of success among ethnic popular musicians...
, musician and composer, born in BegunjeBegunje is a village in the Radovljica municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. It is the location of the headquarters of the Elan Line company. The 12th century Kamen castle lies just outside the village and the 15th century Katzenstein mansion, rebuilt in the late 17th century, at...
near Bled on November 26, 1929
- Špela Pretnar
Špela Pretnar is a former alpine skier.In her career, Pretnar won six races in Alpine Skiing World Cup races, with 13 podiums altogether . In the 1999/2000 season, she won a small crystal globe in slalom. Pretnar was named Slovenian sportswoman of the year in 2000...
, skier, Olympic athlete, born in Bled on March 5, 1973
- Sara Isakovič
Sara Isakovič is a freestyle swimmer from Slovenia who spent much of her childhood in Dubai. Isaković was a member of the Žito Gorenjka Radovljica Swimming Club from Radovljica, Slovenia and traind under the supervision of coach Miha Potočnik.Isakovič competed for Slovenia at the 2004 Summer...
, freestyle swimmer, born in Bled on June 9, 1988
- Julius von Payer
Julius Johannes Ludovicus Ritter von Payer an Austro-Hungarian arctic explorer and an Arctic landscape artist, was born September 2, 1841, in Schönau near Teplice, Bohemia...
, Arctic explorer, born in Šanov, TepliceTeplice is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region.Teplice is situated in the plain of the Bílina river, which separates the Ore Mountains from the Czech Central Mountains , and is a famous spa town.The thermal springs are fabled to have been...
on September 2, 1841, died in Bled on August 19, 1915
Twin towns
Brixen (Bressanone)Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen , Bolzano-Bozen, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
, Bolzano-Bozen,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
Velden am Wörther SeeVelden am Wörthersee is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Situated at the western shore of the Wörthersee lake it is one of the most popular holiday resorts of Austria....
,
CarinthiaCarinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes....
,
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
External links