The lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains of the Julian Alps and lush green forests. In the middle of the lake is Slovenia's only natural island. The island has several buildings, the main one being the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, built in the 15th century. Its majestic 52 meter tower has a grand stairway consisting of 99 steps leading up to the top of the building. The church is most commonly used as a wedding venue because of its scenic location and the natural attraction of the place. There are several other notable buildings on the island, but the Pilgrimage Church tops the list, as the most elegant of all the buildings on this fairytale island of Bled.
Despite being tiny in size, Bled Island has attracted humans since the prehistoric ages. Archeologists have discovered traces of prehistoric human settlements dating back to the 11th century BC. In the early Middle Ages there was a pre-Christian, probably Old Slavic cult area in the location of the present day church. On the island 124 graves with skeletons from the 9th to the 11th century were also found.
