Bled Castle ( sl, Blejski grad, german: Burg Veldes) is a medieval

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

built on a precipice above the city of Bled in Slovenia, overlooking

Lake Bled Lake Bled ( sl, 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 from Ljublj ...

. According to written sources, it is the oldest Slovenian castle and is currently one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia. Nowadays, the castle is employed as a historical museum with a collection that represents the lake's history.

History and structures

The castle was first mentioned in a 22 May 1011 deed of donation issued by Emperor Henry II in favour of the

Bishops of Brixen A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, and it was their residence for eight centuries. Then located in the March of Carniola of the Holy Roman Empire, it later passed to the Austrian House of Habsburg in

1278 Year 1278 ( MCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * May 1 – William II of Villehardouin, prince of Achaea, dies. By the terms of ...

. The oldest part of the castle is the Romanesque tower. In the Middle Ages more towers were built and the fortifications were improved. Other buildings were constructed in the Renaissance style. The buildings are arranged around two courtyards, which are connected with a staircase. There is a chapel in the upper courtyard, which was built in the 16th century and renovated around 1700, when it was also painted with illusionist

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

es. The castle also has a

drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...

over a

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

Gallery

Image:Blejski grad 09.JPG, Upper courtyard with residence and the Gothic castle chapel. Image:Blejski grad 01.JPG, Lower courtyard with castle outbuildings Image:Blejski grad 02.JPG, Castle entrance Image:BledCastle1.JPG, Buildings around the lower courtyard Image:Bled1a.jpg, View from Castle Bled Image:Bled Castle 05.jpg, Bled Castle in winter Image:Bled Castle 02.jpg, Bled Castle in late summer

References

External links

Bled Castle
Bled Cultural Institute.

Bled Castle. {{Coord, 46, 22, 11, N, 14, 06, 02, E, display=title, type:landmark_source:fiwiki Castles in Upper Carniola

Castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

Cultural monuments of Slovenia