The Sunken Bell of Lake Bled
On still nights at Lake Bled, people say you can hear a bell ringing from the bottom of the lake.
What was reported
Lake Bled, in the Julian Alps, has a tiny island with a church on it. The legend says a young widow living in Bled Castle had a bell cast for the island chapel in memory of her husband. As it was being rowed across, a storm blew up, the boat overturned, and the bell sank to the bottom.
The widow gave all she had to the church and became a nun in Rome. After her death, the Pope sent a new bell to the island, and anyone who rings it three times is said to have a wish granted. The old bell, people say, can still be heard ringing from under the water.
Explanations offered
Sunken-bell legends are told about lakes and coasts across Europe. Sound carries far across still water, so the island bell, or a church bell from the shore, can seem to come from strange directions. The wishing bell is rung by visitors every day.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Bled, Upper Carniola, Slovenia
- Witnesses
- Slovenian folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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