Introducing The Church On Bled Island
The Church of the Mother of God on the Lake, also known as the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, or The Church of Mary the Queen, or Our Lady of the Lake, stands on Bled Island, a tiny tear-shaped isle in the middle of Lake Bled in the northwestern corner of Slovenia. The church was built in its current form near the end of the 17th century, though there’s been a church here since the 9th century. The church has a 52-meter tower and there is a Baroque stairway from 1655 with 99 stone steps leading up to the building. The church is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia and weddings are held here regularly.
Review of The Church On Bled Island
The Church of the Mother of God on the Lake, or Cerkev Matere Bozje Na Jezeru as it is called in Slovene, is located on a tiny, tear-shaped island in the middle of an incredibly beautiful Lake Bled. The church has such a beautiful setting that pictures of it are regularly found in travel magazines and on travel blogs and forums.
Before the church was built, Bled Island was once home to a temple consecrated to Ziva, the ancient Slavic goddess of love and fertility. The temple disappeared during battles between the followers of the pagan religion and Christians, who destroyed the altar and built a church. In the 15th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style and a new presbytery, a freestanding bell tower and the main altar were built. In 1509 the church was damaged by an earthquake to such an extent that it required thorough renovation, and this was carried out in the Baroque style. Only the frescoes in the presbytery and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary were preserved from the previous Gothic church. The present form of the church dates from the 17th century when it was renovated after another earthquake. The main altar with its rich gold-plated carving, dates from 1747.
There are three ways to get to the church on the island. You can reach it either by swimming their, renting a rowing boat and docking at the island or by taking a traditional gondola-like wooden boat, called a Pletna. The usual way to reach the island is by taking a trip on the Pletna boat, which is a large gondola-like row boat with a canopy that takes visitors from the shores of Lake Bled to Bled Island. There are regular departures throughout the day and it takes about 20 minutes each way. It costs €12 for a roundtrip to Bled Island and this includes waiting time of 30 minutes so you can explore the island and the church. Another option is to rent a rowboat. It’s a little cheaper and you get the pleasure of meandering back and forth through the lake. You can rent a boat at the Castle boathouse, at Grand hotel Toplice or at the Pension Pletna. 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.
After you climb 99 stairs (not suitable for those who have problem with walking) you reach the church, which is beautifully decorated inside. There’s a small fee (€6 for adults, €1 for children) to get in to see the clock tower. The main attraction is to ring the bell three times to make a wish come true. But there’s one rule: you can make only one wish. The bell was made by Francesco Patavino from Padova way back in 1534. The legend says that the mourning young widow who lived at Bled castle gathered all her gold and silver, melted it and cast into a bell for the chapel on the island. But when the bell was transported to the Bled island, the storm hit the boat. The boatmen drowned and the bell sank to the bottom of the lake. After this misfortune, she went broken-hearted on a pilgrimage to Rome. When the Pope heard her sad story, he donated a bell for the church on the Bled island. Also make sure to climb the church’s clock tower to get great views of the lake and town of Bled.
The church is also frequently used as a wedding venue because of its scenic location. There are exactly ninety-nine steps that lead from the dock to the church (built in 1653) and according to tradition, in order to ensure a long and happy marriage, the groom must carry the bride up the 99 steps leading to the island while the bride must remain perfectly silent. On the island, next to the church, there is also a nice café where you can get a snack, coffee or drinks and a lovely souvenir shop and gallery.
Pictures of the Church of the Mother of God on the Lake
Bled Island with its Church of the Mother of God on the Lake. (photo: Luka Esenko)
The beautiful Bled Island with the church in the middle of Lake Bled. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)
An increasingly rare sight. Frozen Lake Bled, where people can walk to the island and visit the church. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
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 Bled Island is a small tear-shaped isle in the middle of Lake Bled and the most famous building on it is the Church of the Mother of God on the Lake, a Gothic church with a 52-meter tower. |
 The Church of the Mother of God on the Lake is located on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled. It has such a remarkable setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines. |
 The Church of the Mother of God on the Lake is the iconic church on the Bled Island that you see from pretty much everywhere as you walk around the lake. |
Location of the Church of the Mother of God on the Lake on the map
Address: Otok 3, 4260 Bled, Slovenia
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 46.36256, 14.09022
GPS coordinates: 46° 21′ 45.2160” N 14° 5′ 24.8028” E
Region: Gorenjska (a.k.a Upper Carniola a.k.a Slovenian Alps a.k.a Oberkrain)
 With an incredibly beautiful glacial lake surrounded by the peaks of the Slovenian Alps, an iconic church nestled in a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a medieval Gothic castle built on a 100-meter cliff overlooking the lake, Bled is possibly the most beautiful and remarkable Alpine resort in Europe. |
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 Overall Rating:  10/10 (Must-See)Above the incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled, on a mighty steep cliff rising 130 meters high, is the iconic Bled Castle. It is one of the most visited Slovene sights with over 300.000 annual guests. |
 Overall Rating: 10/10 (Must-See)Church of the Mother of God on the Lake, also known as the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, or The Church of Mary the Queen, or Our Lady of the Lake, is located on a a tiny, tear-shaped island in the middle of an incredibly beautiful Lake Bled. The church has such a beautiful setting that pictures of it are regularly found in travel magazines and on travel blogs and forums. |
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 Overall Rating: 10/10 (Must-See)In Slovenia, there is a real place that looks like it came from the fairy tale world! That place is the beautiful Lake Bled, known for its stunning mountain-backed vistas, the iconic church located on a tiny island in the middle of the lake and the spectacular medieval Gothic castle built on a 130-meter cliff overlooking the lake. |
 Overall Rating: 10/10 (Must-See)When people say that a place is like something from a fairy tale, often they are exaggerating, but that is not the case with this charming little tear-shaped island in the middle of Lake Bled. The island has such an extraordinary beautiful setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines and it’s without a doubt the most recognizable place in Slovenia. |
 Overall Rating: 10/10 (Must-See)This stunningly picturesque gorge with turquoise water of the Radovna river and a spectacular waterfall at the far end is part of the Triglav National Park and is located just outside the northern side of Bled. It has been made into a huge attraction by the addition of walkways alongside and across the river. |
 Overall Rating: 10/10 (Exceptional)Royal Bled Golf is the oldest and the largest golf course in Slovenia and one of those must play courses in Europe. The facility comprises the 18-hole King's Course and the 9-hole Lake's Course. The 18-hole King's Course is pretty challenging and plays host to several tournaments and other events during the year, while the 9-hole Lake's course is a bit easier option for those whose handicap is too high, or those with not-so-deep pockets. Club membership is invitation only, but both courses are regularly open to the general public with advanced booking. |
 Cuisine: Slovenian Located on the quiet side of Lake Bled, the restaurant has some of the most amazing views of the lake, church on the island, and Slovenian Alps. The food is outstanding with a varied choice on the menu to suit every taste. It’s exquisite fine dining but with quite big portions. OVERALL RATING: 10/10 (Exceptional) PRICES:  (Expensive) |
 Cuisine: Slovenian This famous restaurant is now under new management of the Jezersek family who serve modern interpretations of recipes written more than 70 years ago by their grandmother. The food is absolutely lovely - it's traditional Slovenian served in a superb fine dining style with lots of lovely touches. OVERALL RATING: 10/10 (Exceptional) PRICES: (Expensive) |
 Cuisine: International The restaurant is located in the very heart of Bled. It's a fine restaurant with a lovely terrace that has a breathtaking view of Lake Bled and Bled Island. The menu is varied with a good selection of meat, fish and pasta dishes. The food served is full of flavour and beautifully presented and yet is not too heavy on the pocket. OVERALL RATING: 10/10 (Exceptional) PRICES:  (Moderate) |
 Cuisine: Slovenian This is a lovely small restaurant that is opened only during the season (from May 1st till mid-October). The setting is charming in an open garden with lit candles all around the tables. The menu is surprisingly extensive for a small place and there's something for everyone. All the plates coming from the kitchen are a feast for the eyes. OVERALL RATING:  09/10 (Superb) PRICES: (Expensive) |
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| The accommodation options in Bled can be divided into six main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments, farm stays and hostels. |
 Finding a hotel that suits your needs and fits your budget can be a hassle. Bled is a very touristic place with lots of hotels of varying standards, from ultra-luxurious where guests can indulge themselves in some exquisite spas to a nice choice of affordable 3-star hotels. Find out which hotels in Bled we recommend and why. |
 Bled guesthouses are definitely a nice, safe option for a place to stay as they are comfortable and homely with owners who take an interest in their guests. Many offer not only breakfast, but also lunch and dinner. There are quite a few wonderful guest houses in Bled, find out which one would best suit your needs, style and budget. |
 Bed and breakfasts are a cheap way of staying in Bled. In essence you get a room and usually also a private bathroom in someone's house, with breakfast included in the price. Find out which B&Bs in Bled we recommend and why. |
 Many local residents in Bled offer apartments for rent in their houses. Each apartment has one or two bedrooms, a bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen. Some also have a living room and a balcony or a terrace. It's a very popular wallet-friendly option when you are staying in Bled. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! Here you will find the apartments that we think are the best ones in Bled right now. |
 Hostels are a very popular option for those seeking low-cost accommodations in Bled. Most spaces and amenities are usually shared, but even if you’re not up for the cheapest option - a bed in a dorm room - you can often get a basic private room at a Bled hostel for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel or privately rented room. Competition between Bled hostels has grown over the past 5-10 years so the quality has risen considerably. There are now some really nice hostels in Bled, find out which are the ones that we recommend and why! |
 There’s nothing quite like going to sleep under the stars, surrounded by nature and only the sound of birdsong to wake you up in the morning. The Bled area has a breathtaking nature which is perfect to do just that: whether it’s an all natural campsite or a luxurious glamping experience, these are the best outdoor sleeping areas in Bled. |
 Farm stays are an increasingly popular vacation option, especially for families with young children. Styled after traditional B&Bs, farm stays offer comfortable lodging, low rates, generous breakfasts and direct access to farm animals, fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs. On some farms you can also join in with farm tasks, including feeding and egg collecting. Find out which farm stays in the Lake Bled area we recommend the most. |
I saw a pretty dish in the gift shop of the church that I wish I had bought.
I rang the bell there and a year later wed my husband.
So Beautiful ❤️
Can’t believe I have walked up those steps. WOW.