St. Martin's Parish Church, Parish church in Bled, Slovenia.
St. Martin's Parish Church is a Gothic Revival building erected in 1903–1905 to plans by Friedrich von Schmidt, with adjustments by Josip Vancaš. It measures 37.2 m long and 17.2 m wide, its nave rises 13 m, and the bell tower reaches 57 m. Fifteen tall Gothic windows carry the names of donors, and above the main door a sculpture shows St. Martin cutting his cloak for a beggar.
The old church of St. Martin was first mentioned in 1345, and a wooden chapel is said to have stood on the site before it. In the 15th century the Romanesque church was rebuilt; it measured 22 m by 9 m and was enlarged in the 17th century. It served as the parish seat from 1469 until 1903, when it was demolished. The Ljubljana firm Brata Toenis built the new church in two years, and Bishop Bonaventura Jeglič consecrated it on 28 August 1905.
The interior holds frescoes painted during the 1930s that blend religious imagery with political commentary of that era. These artworks transform the church into a space where spiritual and historical concerns of the period become visible to visitors.
The church can be visited during weekdays, though access times may shift depending on services and events. It is best to check opening hours in advance since the building remains an active place of worship where visitor access is limited to non-service times.
The main altar is made of Carrara marble and is the work of the Austrian stonemason Fellner from Leoben. The two side altars, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Mother of God, are by the local stonemason Janez Vurnik.
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