According to written sources, Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. It was first mentioned in a deed of donation in 1011 as castellum Veldes. Bled Castle stands on a high, steep cliff 123 m above Lake Bled. For a couple of centuries, it was the seat of the Brixen diocese, and today it is one of the largest cultural and tourist attractions in Slovenia, visited by tourists from all over the world. The castle is a symbol of Bled and Slovenia. The castle above the green lake with a small island and a church has been recognizable at home and abroad for centuries. The castle terraces offer a view of the Slovenian countryside, where we can see Lesce, Radovljica and the mighty Karavanke and Julian Alps mountains. The castle has been exposed to numerous disasters throughout history. In 1511, the first earthquake to hit Bled Castle occurred. It was built by Herbard Auersperg. In 1690, there was another earthquake, after which the Gallenfels family repaired it. The Gothic fortification system has been preserved. On August 18, 1947, the castle caught fire, destroying a significant part of the roof.
The building is classified as an immovable monument of national importance and was declared so on October 6, 1999. A cultural national monument is a building that has exceptional cultural value at the national level. Such buildings are initially evaluated as cultural heritage and then entered into the Register of Immovable Cultural Heritage. The declaration is made by acts of proclamation adopted by the competent authority. These acts are published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia or the local community bulletin.
The castle began to be professionally renovated in 1952 according to the plans of the architect Tone Bitenc, who was a student of Jože Plečnik. The castle was renovated for ten years, as the work was only completed in 1961. Bled Castle was given a more modern design, which was adapted to tourist tours. In 2008, the Bled Institute for Culture also renovated the museum part.