Želeče lies in the southern part of Bled, above the southeastern shore of Lake Bled. It is located southwest of the former village of Zagorice.[1][7] There is a cable lift from the southern part of Želeče to Straža Hill (elevation: 646 meters (2,119 ft)).[7]
Name
Želeče was attested in written sources as Zilecca between 1070 and 1090, Schalchendorf in 1253, Zelleczach in 1366, and Ze Lëtschach in 1380, among other spellings.[8] After the Second World War, it was also known as Bled–Želeče.[2]
History
Želeče had a population of 84 living in 21 houses in 1869,[3] 99 in 30 houses in 1880,[4] 116 in 31 houses in 1890,[5] 149 in 50 houses in 1900,[6] and 253 in 70 houses in 1931.[1] Želeče was merged with other villages to create the town of Bled in 1960, ending its existence as a separate settlement.[2][9] By the late 1960s, extensive vacation housing had been built in the Dindol Valley southeast of Želeče.[7]
Notable people
Notable people that were born or lived in Želeče include the following: