9. Forge

The upper courtyard of the castle also features a small forge where hand-forged products are displayed and visitors can mint a souvenir coin on the anvil.

The forge is a demonstration of how a centuries-old craft can be reinvented as contemporary applied art and be preserved for future generations as a precious part of the country's cultural heritage. In the past, the development of artistic iron-forging was spurred by iron ore deposits in the Bled area.

Fire, iron, an anvil, a hammer, and a pair of strong hands is all that is needed to create wrought iron products which beautifully combine the traditions of the past with contemporary design.

The blacksmith working at the castle forge comes from the fourth generation of blacksmiths from Kropa, the cradle of Slovenian iron-forging, which is yet more proof that in Slovenia the talent, knowledge and love for iron-forging continue to be passed down from generation to generation.