Bled

Infobox Settlement
name = Bled
official_name =
native_name =
other_name =
nickname =
settlement_type =
total_type =
motto =

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Bled: lake, castle and parish church


flag_size =
image_

seal_size =
shield_size =60px
image_blank_emblem =
blank_emblem_type =
blank_emblem_size =


mapsize =
map_caption = Location of the Municipality of Bled in Slovenia


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
image_dot_

dot_mapsize =
dot_map_caption =
dot_x = |dot_y =
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = left
pushpin_map_caption =Location of the city of Bled in Slovenia
pushpin_mapsize =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Slovenia
subdivision_type1 = Municipality
subdivision_name1 = Bled
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
seat_type =
seat =
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Janez Fajfar (SNS)
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
leader_title2 =
leader_name2 =
leader_title3 =
leader_name3 =
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title =
established_date =
established_title1 =
established_date1 =
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
founder =
named_for =
area_magnitude =
unit_pref =Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 =188.5
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
area_total_dunam =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_land_sq_mi =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_blank1_title =
area_blank1_km2 =
area_blank1_sq_mi =
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m =
elevation_ft =
elevation_max_m =
elevation_max_ft =
elevation_min_m =
elevation_min_ft =
population_as_of =2002
population_footnotes =
population_note =
population_total =10,899
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
population_density_urban_km2 =
population_density_urban_sq_mi =
population_blank1_title =males
population_blank1 =5,314
population_blank2_title =female
population_blank2 =5,585
population_density_blank1_km2 =
population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
timezone =
utc_offset =
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
coor_type =
latd=46 |latm=22|lats= |latNS=N
longd=14 |longm=07|longs= |longEW=E
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name =Average age
blank_info =35.76 years
blank1_name =Residential areas
blank1_info = convert|36.18|m2|sqft|abbr=on/person
blank2_name =Households
blank2_info =3,981
blank3_name =Families
blank3_info =3,133
website =
footnotes = Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002.

Bled ( _de. Veldes) is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area within the Julian Alps is a popular tourist destination.

History

A settlement area since Mesolithic times, Bled Castle 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. With Carniola it was ceded to Rudolph of Habsburg after he defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. From 1364 on Bled was part of the Duchy of Carniola and of the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces between 1809 and 1816.

After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918 it belonged to 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, "the Harvard of Southern and Central Europe [http://www.iedc.si/about/cnbc/] "

Tourism

Bled is famous for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle.

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".

Towns and villages

Bled, Bodešče, Bohinjska Bela, Koritno, Kupljenik, Obrne, Ribno, Selo pri Bledu, Slamniki, Zasip

Trivia

*The town is known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called "kremna rezina" or "kremšnita". The name is derived from the German word "Cremeschnitte", literally meaning 'cream slice'.
*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.

Notable people

*Slavko Avsenik, musician and composer, born in Begunje near Bled on November 26, 1929
*1967 Tomaz Bernik MD FACS Vascular Surgeon and TOP Doctor in NYC
*Špela Pretnar, skier, Olympic athlete, born in Bled on March 5, 1973
*Sara Isakovič, freestyle swimmer, born in Bled on June 9, 1988
*Julius von Payer, Arctic explorer, born in Šanov, Teplice on September 2, 1841, died in Bled on August 19, 1915

Twin towns

*flagicon|Italy Brixen (Bressanone), Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
*flagicon|Austria Velden am Wörther See, Carinthia, Austria

ee also

*Lake Bled
*Bled Castle

References

External links

*Commons|Bled
* [http://www.bled.si Official Website]
* [http://www.blejskiotok.si Bled Island Official Website]
*wikitravel
* [http://www.slovenia.info/bled Bled on Official Slovenian Tourism Portal by Slovenian Tourist Board]