Lake Bled (Slovene: Blejsko jezero; German: Bleder See, Veldeser See) is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a tourist destination. The lake is 35Â km (22Â mi) from Ljubljana International Airport and 55Â km (34Â mi) from the capital city, Ljubljana.
Geography and historyEdit
The lake is of mixed glacial and tectonic origin. It is 2,120Â m (6,960Â ft) long and 1,380Â m (4,530Â ft) wide, with a maximum depth of 29.5Â m (97Â ft), and it has a small island. The lake lies in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. Medieval Bled Castle stands above the lake on the north shore. The Zaka Valley lies at the west end of the lake.
The World Rowing Championships in 1966, 1979, 1989, and 2011 were held at Lake Bled.
Bled IslandEdit
The lake surrounds Bled Island (Blejski otok). The island has several buildings, the main one being the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary (Cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja), built in its current form near the end of the 17th century, and decorated with remains of Gothic frescos from around 1470 in the presbyterium and rich Baroque equipment. The church has a 52Â m (171Â ft) tower and there is a Baroque stairway from 1655 with 99 stone steps leading up to the building. The church is frequently visited and weddings are held there regularly. Traditionally it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up the steps on the day of their wedding before ringing the bell and making a wish inside the church.
See alsoEdit
- Tourism in Slovenia
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Bled island website (in Slovene)
- Lake Bled Tourism (in English)
- Exploring With Josh Location
