Bled
Encyclopedia
Bled is a municipality
in northwestern Slovenia
in the region of Upper Carniola
. The area, within the Julian Alps
, is a popular tourist destination
.
times, Bled was first mentioned as Ueldes (Veldes) within the March of Carniola
on April 10, 1004, when it was awarded by Emperor Henry II
to Bishop Albuin I of Brixen
. Bled Castle
was first mentioned in a 22 May 1011 deed in which Henry II donated it to Albuin's successor, Bishop Adalberon of Brixen. With Carniola, Bled was ceded to Rudolph of Habsburg
after he defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia
at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. From 1364 until 1919, Bled (Veldes) was part of the Duchy of Carniola
, except for a stint between 1809 and 1816 as one of the Napoleonic
Illyrian Provinces
After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary
in 1918, Bled came under the rule of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and became a summer domicile of the ruling House of Karađorđević, a tradition that President Josip Broz Tito
continued, when he built his residence here in 1947. Bled became an independent municipality
in 1996. In 2000, Bled became the home of IEDC-Bled School of Management
.
Lake Bled
, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle
. The town is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina
("cream slice") or kremšnita.
Naturopath
Arnold Rikli
(1823–1906) from Switzerland
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 (golf
, fishing
, horseback-riding
) and is a starting point for mountain treks
and hikes
especially within the nearby Triglav National Park
.
A small island in the middle of the lake is home to the Assumption of Mary
Pilgrimage
Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory
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 barge
called Pletna. The island on Lake Bled
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.
, for the 4th time in history, in 2011
. It previously hosted the Championships in 1966, 1979 and 1989. In 1961 the Grand Hotel Toplice in Bled was the site of one of most important international tournaments in chess history.
with: Brixen (Bressanone)
, Italy
Velden am Wörther See
, Austria
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in northwestern Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in the region of Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
. The area, within the Julian Alps
Julian Alps
The Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from northeastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 m at Mount Triglav. They are named after Julius Caesar, who founded the municipium of Cividale del Friuli at the foot of the mountains...
, is a popular tourist destination
Resort town
A 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 MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
times, Bled was first mentioned as Ueldes (Veldes) within the March of Carniola
March of Carniola
The March of Carniola was a southeastern state of the Holy Roman Empire in the High Middle Ages, the predecessor of the Duchy of Carniola. It corresponded roughly to the central Carniolan region of present-day Slovenia...
on April 10, 1004, when it was awarded by Emperor Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., 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 the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
to Bishop Albuin I of Brixen
Bishopric of Brixen
The 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 South Tyrol. The bishopric in the Eisack/Isarco valley was established in the 6th century and gradually received more secular powers...
. Bled Castle
Bled Castle
Bled Castle is a medieval castle built on a precipice above the city of Bled in Slovenia, overlooking Lake Bled. According to written sources, it is the oldest Slovenian castle and is currently one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia....
was first mentioned in a 22 May 1011 deed in which Henry II donated it to Albuin's successor, Bishop Adalberon of Brixen. With Carniola, Bled was ceded to Rudolph of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
after he defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar 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 until 1919, Bled (Veldes) was part of the Duchy of Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
, except for a stint between 1809 and 1816 as one of the Napoleonic
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
Illyrian Provinces
Illyrian provinces
The 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. Its capital was established at Laybach...
After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
in 1918, Bled came under the rule of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state 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 Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
continued, when he built his residence here in 1947. Bled became an independent municipality
Municipalities of Slovenia
Slovenia is divided into 211 municipalities , of which 11 have urban status.Slovene 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 Management
IEDC-Bled School of Management
IEDC-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 glacialGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
Lake Bled
Lake Bled
Lake 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 Castle
Bled Castle
Bled Castle is a medieval castle built on a precipice above the city of Bled in Slovenia, overlooking Lake Bled. According to written sources, it is the oldest Slovenian castle and is currently one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia....
. The town is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina
Kremna rezina
Kremna 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 recipe cake was brought to the local Hotel Park in 1953 by Ištvan Kovačevič, chef of the hotel's confectionery store. He came to...
("cream slice") or kremšnita.
Naturopath
Naturopathic medicine
Naturopathy, or Naturopathic Medicine, is a form of alternative medicine based on a belief in vitalism, which posits that a special energy called vital energy or vital force guides bodily processes such as metabolism, reproduction, growth, and adaptation...
Arnold Rikli
Arnold Rikli
Arnold Rikli was a Swiss natural healer and physician....
(1823–1906) from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
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 (golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, horseback-riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
) and is a starting point for mountain treks
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
and hikes
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
especially within the nearby Triglav National Park
Triglav National Park
Triglav National Park is a national park located in Slovenia and the only one in the country. It was named after Mount Triglav, the highest peak of the Julian Alps and a symbol of Slovenia and Slovenian character....
.
A small island in the middle of the lake is home to the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
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 barge
Barge
A 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 Bled
Lake Bled
Lake 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.
Events
Bled hosted the World Rowing ChampionshipsWorld Rowing Championships
The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
, for the 4th time in history, in 2011
2011 World Rowing Championships
The 2011 World Rowing Championships, the 40th edition of the World Rowing Championships, were held at Lake Bled, Bled, Slovenia between August 28 and September 4, 2011....
. It previously hosted the Championships in 1966, 1979 and 1989. In 1961 the Grand Hotel Toplice in Bled was the site of one of most important international tournaments in chess history.
Notable people
- Slavko AvsenikSlavko AvsenikSlavko 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 BegunjeBegunjeBegunje 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 PretnarŠpela PretnarŠpela 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 IsakovičSara IsakovicSara Isakovič is a freestyle swimmer from Slovenia. She spent much of her childhood in Dubai. Isakovič was a member of the Žito Gorenjka Radovljica Swimming Club from Radovljica, Slovenia and trained under the supervision of coach Miha Potočnik.Isakovič competed for Slovenia at the 2004 Summer...
, freestyle swimmer, Olympic medalist, born in Bled on June 9, 1988 - Julius von PayerJulius von PayerJulius Johannes Ludovicus Ritter von Payer was an Austro-Hungarian arctic explorer and an Arctic landscape artist....
, Arctic explorer, born in Šanov, TepliceTepliceTeplice , Teplice-Šanov until 1948 is a town in the Czech Republic, the capital of the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is the state's second largest spa town ....
on September 2, 1841, died in Bled on August 19, 1915 - Denis ŽvegeljDenis ZvegeljDenis Žvegelj, born on June 24, 1972 in Jesenice, SR Slovenia is an ex Slovenian rower and Olympic medallist.-Rowing Achievements:Olympic Games*1992: Barcelona – 3rd place...
, rower, Olympic medalist, born in Jesenice on June 24, 1972 - Iztok ČopIztok CopIztok Čop is a Slovenian rower and Olympic gold medallist.Iztok started rowing at the age of 13 in Bled, where Slovenia's best rowing club is located....
, rower, multiple Olympic medalist, born in Kranj on June 17, 1972 - Peter FlorjančičPeter FlorjančičPeter Florjančič, is a Slovenian inventor and Olympic athlete. His successful inventions have included the perfume atomiser, plastic injection molding machines and the plastic photographic slide frame....
, inventor, born in Bled in 1919
Twin towns — Sister cities
Bled is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Brixen (Bressanone)
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Velden am Wörther See
Velden am Wörther See
Velden 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....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...