Bled: Difference between revisions

| official_name = Bled

| other_name =

| native_name = = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->

| nickname =

| settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default= City)-->Town

| motto =

|imagesize image_skyline = 300px{{Photomontage|position=center

The town was first attested in written sources as ''Ueldes'' in 1004 (and as ''Veldes'' in 1011).<ref>{{cite web |title=Bled |url=https://topografija.zrc-sazu.si/ |website=Slovenska historična topografija |publisher=ZRC SAZU Zgodovinski inštitut Milka Kosa |access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Snoj">{{cite book |last1=Snoj |first1=Marko |title=Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen |date=2009 |publisher=Modrijan |location=Ljubljana |page=65}}</ref> The etymology of the name is unknown and it is believed to be of pre-Slavic origin. The German name of the town, ''Veldes'', was either borrowed from Old Slovene ''*Beldъ'' before AD 800 or is derived from the same pre-Slavic source as the Slovene name.<ref name="Snoj">{{cite book |last1=Snoj |first1=Marko |title=Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen |date=2009 |publisher=Modrijan |location=Ljubljana |page=65}}</ref><ref>Bezlaj, France (ed.). 1977. ''Etimološki slovar slovenskega jezika,'' vol. 1, A–J. Ljubljana: SAZU, p. 26.</ref>

Bled is located on the southern foot of the [[Karawanks]] mountain range near the border with [[Austria]], about {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of the statenational capital of [[Ljubljana]]. South of Lake Bled are the densely forested [[Pokljuka]] and [[Jelovica]] plateaus, and the easternmost parts of the [[Julian Alps]]., Herewhere the [[Sava Bohinjka]] river and the parallel [[Bohinj Railway]] lead up to the [[Bohinj]] basin, [[Lake Bohinj]], and the [[Triglav]] massif.

A number of rises (Grad 599 m, Straža 646 m, Kozarca 558 m, Osojnica 756 m, and Ravnica 729 m) separate the localities of Bled around the lake, the former villages of Grad, Mlino, Rečica, [[Zagorice, Bled|Zagorice]], and [[Želeče]].

The lake is {{convert|2.12|km}} long and {{convert|0.5|to|1|km}} wide. In summer, the surface water reaches {{convert|25|°C}} and retains a temperature up to {{convert|18|°C}} until autumn. As such, it is suitable for swimming. InDuring colder winters, itthe entire lake freezes and iscan be used for ice skating; the island can then be reached on foot.

There is a thermal spring ({{convert|23|°C|disp=or}}) near the lake, next to the Bled Fault. Its water is used in indoor pools in two hotels.{{historical populations|25=1948|26=3387|27=1953|28=3844|29=1961|30=4156|31=1971|32=4756|33=1981|34=5644|35=1991|36=5767|37=2002|38=5252|39=2011|40=5181|41=2021|42=5181|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.}}

===Early Mediaevalmedieval history===

In 1803, Brixen's rule came to an end when the prince-bishopric was secularized in the course of the [[German Mediatization]]. Bled then came under Austrian sovereignty but in 1808, along with Carniola, it was included in the Napoleonic [[Illyrian Provinces]]. It returned under Austrian sovereignty in 1813, and in 1838 the Austrian Emperor returned Bled to the bishops of Brixen as a private estate. With the abolition of the feudal system in 1848, Bled ceased to have the characteristics of a feudal economy and from then on it experienced several changes in ownership, including industrialists and a bank.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bled.si/en/about-bled/the-history-of-bled|title = Bled, Slovenia - Official Site}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blejski-grad.si/en/history-of-the-castle |title=ArchivedBled castle - copyHistory |access-date=2015-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614163827/http://www.blejski-grad.si/en/history-of-the-castle |archive-date=2015-06-14 }}</ref>

Today's town began to form in the mid-19th century from the villages of Grad, Mlino, Rečica, Zagorice, and Želeče, which were encirclingencircled the lake. At that time, farmers started to sell the land along the eastern lakeshore to wealthy individuals for their villas, and the villages of Grad, Zagorice, and Želeče began to merge. Bled was officially recognised asmade a town in 1960.

[[File:Hotel Louisenbad na Bledu 1910.jpg|thumb|right|Bled hotels in 1910.]]

[[Naturopathic medicine|Naturopath]] [[Arnold Rikli]] (1823–1906) from [[Switzerland]] contributed significantly to the development of Bled as a [[health resort]] in the second 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 sports activities ([[golf]], [[fishing]], and [[Equestrianism|horseback riding]]). It is a starting point for [[Backpacking (wilderness)|mountain treks]] and [[Hiking|hikes]], especially within nearby [[Triglav National Park]]. The [https://voyage24by7.com/trip-ideas/europe/slovenia/lakebled-1 emerald colour river of Radovna] has carved a deep and stunning gorge as it flows across the Triglav National Park.

Human traces from [[prehistory]] have been found on the island. Before the church was built, there was a temple consecrated to [[Živa (goddess)|Živa]], the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island on a traditional flat-bottomed wooden boat ({{lang-sl|pletna}}), part of a fixed fleet of 23 boats to protect the riverlake's cleanliness, run by a family-owned business since the 18th century. 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.

The town is served by two railway stations: [[Lesce-Bled Airportrailway station|Lesce-Bled]] (located in nearby [[Lesce]]) on the main line between [[Ljubljana railway station|Ljubljana]] and [[Villach Hauptbahnhof]], and [[Bled Jezero railway station|Bled Jezero]] (located above the western shore of Lake Bled) on the [[Bohinj Railway]]. Slovenia's biggestmain international airport, [[Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport]], is only 34 km away by road; kilometers[[Lesce-Bled awayAirport]] caters to general aviation.

Bled has hosted the [[World Rowing Championships]] forfour the fourth time in historytimes, in [[20111966 World Rowing Championships|20111966]]. It previously hosted the championships in, [[19661979 World Rowing Championships|19661979]], [[19791989 World Rowing Championships|19791989]], and most recently in [[19892011 World Rowing Championships|19892011]].<ref>[http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324246 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412023734/http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324246 |date=April 12, 2011 }}</ref>

Notable people that were born or lived in the Bled include:

* [[Peter Florjančič]] (born 19191919–2020), inventor and Olympic athlete

* [[Janez Klemenčič]] (born 1971), rower, Olympic bronze medalist. Now a restaurateur in Bled.

===Twin towns /Sister sister cities===