Lake Bled

Lake Bled
Lake Bled seen from Little Osojnica Hill
Location	Julian Alps
Coordinates	46°21′52″N 14°05′41″E
Basin countries	Slovenia
Max. length	2,120 m (6,960 ft)
Max. width	1,380 m (4,530 ft)
Surface area	1.45 km2 (0.56 sq mi)
Max. depth	29.5 m (97 ft)
Water volume	0.0257 km3 (0.0062 cu mi)
Surface elevation	475 m (1,558 ft)
Islands	Bled Island
Settlements	Bled

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 35 km (22 mi) from Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km (34 mi) from the capital city, Ljubljana.

Geography and history

The lake is of mixed glacial and tectonic origins. It is 2,120 m (6,960 ft) long and 1,380 m (4,530 ft) wide, with a maximum depth of 29.5 m (97 ft) and has a small island (Bled Island). The lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. The medieval-era 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 Island

The lake surrounds Bled Island ([Blejski otok] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). The island has several buildings, the main one being the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary ([Cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), 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 52 m (171 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.

Gallery

• 
  Interior of Assumption Church
• 
  Pletna
• 
  Lake Bled with Bled Castle in the background
• 
  Half-frozen lake
• 
  Winter panorama of Lake Bled
• 
  Lake Bled and Bled Island at twilight
• 
  Lake Bled in autumn

See also

• Tourism in Slovenia

External links

• Bled island website Template:Sl icon
• Lake Bled Tourism Template:En icon
• Exploring With Josh Location