5/5 Dinh T. 1 year ago on Google
The
Church
of
Mother
of
God,
also
known
as
the
Pilgrimage
Church
of
the
Assumption
of
Mary,
or
Our
Lady
of
the
Lake,
is
located
on
a
small
island
in
the
middle
of
Lake
Bled.
The
traces
of
history
of
Bled
Island
go
back
to
the
prehistoric
period
(from
the
11th
to
the
8th
century
B.C.)
and
Slavic
settlement
(from
the
9th
to
the
10th
century).
The
ancient
Slavic
cult
area
was
probably
located
here
in
the
early
Middle
Ages,
i.e.
at
the
site
of
the
present
church.
In
the
period
from
the
9th
to
the
11th
century,
there
were
124
graves
with
skeletons
found.
The
foundations
of
the
pre-Romanesque
chapel,
built
during
the
spreading
of
Christianity,
also
date
to
that
period.
The
first
brick
built
church
on
the
island
was
consecrated
in
1142
by
the
Aquileia
patriarch
Pellegrino.
The
church
was
rebuilt
in
Gothic
style
in
the
15th
century;
the
renovated
church
was
consecrated
in
1465
by
the
first
Ljubljana
bishop,
Count
Žiga
Lamberg.
It
was
damaged
in
1509
by
an
earthquake;
therefore
it
was
thoroughly
renovated
in
early
Baroque
style.
From
former
Gothic
church
are
preserved
only
frescoes
in
the
presbytery
and
wooden
statue
of
Mother
Divine,
which
probably
adorned
the
main
altar.
The
current
shape
of
the
church
has
been
preserved
since
the
17th
century,
when
it
was
restored
after
the
second
earthquake.
The
main
altar
with
a
richly-decorated
golden
carving
that
dates
back
to
1747
at
the
main
altar
plastic
represents
the
sitting
Mother
Divine,
alongside
the
donor
of
the
Bled
estate
Henry
II
and
his
wife
Cunigunde.
Side
altars
which
were
made
at
the
end
of
the
17th
century,
are
dedicated
to
St
Sebastian,
St
Magdalene
and
St
Ana.
The
bell
tower
was
built
in
1465,
but
because
of
the
heavy
damage
in
both
earthquakes
and
a
lightning
strike
in
1688,
the
tower
was
renovated
several
times.
The
current
bell
tower
is
54
metres
(177
feet)
high
and
has
three
bells
made
by
Samasso
and
Franchi,
bell
makers
from
Ljubljana
(some
papers
say
they
were
made
by
Francesco
Patavino
from
Padova
in
1534).
The
legend
says
that
those
who
ring
the
bell
and
make
a
wish,
will
see
their
wish
come
true.
But
there’s
one
rule:
you
can
make
only
one
wish.
The
church
and
other
buildings,
such
as
the
wall
and
monumental
Baroque
staircase
with
99
steps
(built
in
1655),
have
preserved
their
image
since
the
17th
century.
There
are
several
ways
to
get
to
the
Island.
The
usual
way
to
reach
the
island
is
by
taking
a
trip
on
the
traditional
man-powered
Pletna
boat
(a
large
gondola-like
row
boat
with
a
canopy)
that
takes
visitors
from
the
shores
of
Lake
Bled
to
Bled
Island
in
about
20
minutes
each
way
and
costs
€15
for
a
roundtrip
(includes
waiting
time
of
30
minutes).
Another
option
is
to
rent
a
rowboat
which
is
cheaper
and
visitors
could
get
the
pleasure
of
meandering
back
and
forth
through
the
lake.
A
boat
for
3
persons
costs
around
€15
per
hour,
a
boat
for
5
persons
costs
around
€20
per
hour.
If
you
are
a
good
swimmer,
you
can
also
swim
to
the
island.
But
be
aware
–
if
you
swim
to
the
island,
you
won’t
be
able
to
explore
the
church
unless
you
ask
someone
to
bring
you
clothes
by
boat.
Also
in
winter
when
the
temperatures
are
low
enough,
visitors
can
walk
across
the
frozen
Lake
Bled
to
the
island
and
visit
the
church.
*
Some
photos
courtesy
of
Internet.
Thanks!
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