Bled

Bled is a municipality (population 1,11,120) in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola (Slovenian Gorenjska). It was first mentioned on April 10, 1004, when it has been awarded by the German Emperor Henry II to the Bishop Albuin of Brixen. Later it had changed many owners, till in 1996 it became an independent municipality.

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Bled is famous for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Besides a lake, there is a castle on a rock. It is also famous for its cake, called kremna rezina or krem?nita, from German Cremeschnitte.

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Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all Europe. Arnold Rickli from Switzerland contributed significantly to its development as a health resort. Today it is an important congress and tourist centre that offers a wide range of sport activities (golf, fishing, horse-riding) and is the starting point from which many neighbouring mountains can be visited.

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The small island in the middle is home to a church; visitors frequently ring the church bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory have been found on the island and prior to a church, there was a temple consecrated to ?iva, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island by a boat called pletna. The island has 98 steps to the church and a local tradition at weddings is for the husband to carry his new bride up the 98 steps. During which the bride must remain silent!

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Upper Carniola: Upper 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, Tr?i?, ?kofja Loka, Kamnik, and Dom?ale....

Slovenian: The terms Slovenian and Slovene refer to anything related to Slovenia and its inhabitants. Both have been used for a long time in English. A Slovenian Canadian scholar Edward Gobetz claims that the shorter form was carried over into English through French, once the language of diplomacy and that th...

German: German may mean:...

Bled related Images and Photos (experimental)

Lake Bled Gorenjska Slovenia

Reflection of Mountains and Buildings in Water Lake Bled Slovenia