PRESENTATION

Družba sv. Martina d.o.o. was established on 18 January 2005 by Župnija Bled (Bled Parish) for management of Bled Island and is wholly owned by the parish.

The company has made a Contract of Lease with Župnija Bled for carrying out business activities such as sale of souvenirs, a restaurant, exhibitions etc. The parish wants the management and the company's operations to be transparent as required by the principles of modern economy.

THE LOGOTYPE

The logotype has been designed to illustrate the Company’s name and its activities.

                  It shows St. Martin still dressed as a Roman soldier wearing a military coat. Legend has it that on a cold winter’s day, St. Martin in front of the town gate at Amiens cut his military coat into two pieces, giving one to a beggar suffering from cold. That night he was visited by Jesus wearing the half of the coat St. Martin had given to the beggar. Jesus told him: “Whatever you did unto one of the least, you did unto me.” 

                  The company Družba sv. Martina was founded by Župnija Bled (Parish of Bled), whose patron saint is St. Martin. It was founded for the purpose of preserving the cultural heritage of our ancestors. Our efforts are reflected in the renovation works on the island and on the buildings located there, which are presented in a stylised form as the principal motif of the logotype.

                  Another part of the Slovenian cultural heritage which has often been overlooked is our Christian values. Honesty, kindness, helpfulness and selflessness are represented in the red coat that the Company’s staff have designed for the island and its visitors. St. Martin as an eager protector of true faith is an ideal example and represents a counterweight to the capitalism-oriented society.

                  The island itself, which has been designed in the logotype as arms emanating warmth, also symbolizes a safe haven. The church which is dedicated to the Holy Virgin, the Queen of Slovenian hearts, invites the faithful to climb the stairs of prayer, ordeal and suffering to reach the truth, salvation and life which are reflected in the gold colour of the Sun.

                  The element of water refreshes and cleanses. It is a reminder of the sacrament of baptism as the beginning of everything, and is also a direct connection with the lake and the island.

RENOVATION AND MAINTENANCE WORKS

Maintenance works in 2007

The first stage of the renovation works has been completed. The works were carried out by Gradbeno podjetje Bohinj under the supervision of Mag. Nika Leben of the Institute for Protection of the Cultural Heritage. The church roof has been given new battens, tiles and gutters, with the lightning conductor and the copper sections of the roof having been renewed as well. Since there is rather large number of roof tiles left, the roof covering on the Hermitage, i.e. the smaller building behind the church (on the western side) will be replaced as well.
Fully worn out were the paths on the island which had to be renovated as well (including the fences and wooden sections of the paths)

Maintenance works in 2008

There were the urgent maintenance works carried out on the Provost's House which included repair and repainting of the windows, doors, and stairs. The works also comprised replacement of the rotten floor on the first floor and of the wood ceiling on the ground floor of the house.

As recommended by the construction expert, there were extensive renovation works carried out on the roofs of the Sexton’s House, the Provost’s House, the annex and the chapel.

A “Green Structures Plan for Bled Island” for a five-year term has also been commissioned and worked out.

Maintenance works in 2009

The windows and outer doors on the Sexton’s house were repaired and repainted.  The large room in the same building was renovated as well.

A section of the bank next to the cargo lift was rehabilitated.

The piers next to the stairs on the north side were repaired and the plumbing in the lake renovated.

All the windows and outer doors on the small building behind the church (“puščavca”) were repaired and repainted.

Based on the consent of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, the two bathrooms on the first floor of the Provost’s House were torn down which permitted the hall to be restored to its original condition.

As projected in the “Green Structures Plan”, the trees on the island were cut and shaped and new plants put in by GG Bled.