Lake Bled - The Legend of the Sunken Bell

When I visited Bled in Slovenia in April, I was lucky enough to be given a walking tour by some local students, who studied at the local Bled Vocational College for Catering and Tourism. I have written a post about this college and it's connection to the Hotel Astoria, where I stayed in Lake Bled. This will be published next week.

The walking tour took place around the perimeter of the famous Lake Bled. During the tour, I learned the story of the legend of the sunken bell. I thought it was such a touching yet heartbreaking story that I wanted to share it.

The legend says that once upon a time, a young married couple lived in Bled Castle. One day her husband was murdered during a robbery and the perpetrators discarded his body in the lake. Upon hearing the news of his death, she was heartbroken. the young widow gathered all of the gold and silver she owned and had a bell cast in his memory. It was to be hung in the chapel on Bled Island.

Tragically, the boat that was commissioned to carry the bell across the lake to the island sunk when a storm hit. Once again heartbroken by the news, the widow decided to move to Rome and become a nun. She sold everything she owned and offered all of her money up for the construction of a new church, to be built on Bled Island.

Years later, following the widow's death, the Pope heard her story and was so touched by her selfless acts and the kindness she showed the Catholic church, that he had a bell cast in her memory and had it consecrated. He sent it to be erected in the church on Bled Island that the widow gave her money to see constructed. The widow became known as the Lady of the Lake.

It is said that if you ring this bell, known as the Wishing Bell, three times and tell your wish to the Lady of the Lake, then your wish will come true. Some people say that you can still hear the ringing of the original bell rising up from the depths of the lake on a dark night.

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