Romania is the place to be on Halloween. Those who tour the famous Dracula Castle have the best party tickets in town. Romanian castles are like no other castles in Europe, and Bran Castle is no exception.
Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, is a national landmark and monument. And the fortress is exclusive to Transylvania Live on Halloween. No other traveler groups party there on October 31.
Are you ready to learn about the castle, but not up for a trip to Transylvania quite yet? Do you enjoy reading a bit of history? Today, I’ll share more on the history, mystery, and legend of Romania’s Bran Castle.
Let’s dive in.
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The Origin and History of Bran Castle
Bran Castle dates back to 1212 and the Teutonic Knights, a military order that fought in the Crusades. Hungary’s king invited the knights to protect his Transylvania border. The castle served as a fortress against the Ottoman Empire.
The Teutons built Bran Fortress for strategic and economic reasons. It served as a customs post on the mountain pass between Wallachia and Transylvania. While it held little significance for Vlad Tepes, it sheltered him as he crossed the Bran Gorge.
Between 1920 and 1948, Bran Castle was home to Queen Marie of Romania. Her daughter, Princess Ileana, lived there until the communist regime seized it.
The Romanian government reclaimed Bran Castle in 2005. Four years later, it returned the castle to Prince Dominic of Tuscany, Ileana’s son and heir. Today, the castle museum is a tourist destination for half a million visitors each year.
“We invite you to experience the history, the myth, the intrigue, and the magic of this wonderful place and its Queen,” said Dominic Habsburg. “We hope you will carry the spirit that makes us love Bran Castle with you, always.”
The Mystery and Legend of Bran Castle
An aura of mystery surrounds Bran Castle today. People associate the castle with the Dracula character in Bram Stoker’s novel. Dracula is a Transylvanian count with a castle perched on a cliff, high above a valley with a flowing river.
Some historians link Bran castle to Vlad Tepes, the Walachian prince who ruled in the region in the late 1400’s. The infamous leader is sometimes called Vlad Dracul, “son of the dragon.”
He is also known as Vlad the Impaler for the massive stakes he used to impale his enemies. Historians of the time depicted him as “a blood-thirsty ruthless despot” – for reasons largely political, said the museum.
People often confuse Vlad Tepes with Count Dracula. But historians doubt Stoker knew about Bran Castle. According to the museum, the Irish author never visited Romania.
Stoker based the castle in his book on a description of Bran Castle available to him in Britain. The etching of Dracula’s castle in the book’s first edition looks very much like Bran Castle. An illustration in Charles Boner’s Transylvania: Its Products and Its People was the likely inspiration.
The castle museum recognizes the castle’s inspiration for Dracula’s castle. Visitors can now enjoy rooms dedicated to the famous fictional count. Plans are in the works for a glass elevator ride to experience “Dracula’s escape route.”
With that said, it’s important to distinguish between Stoker’s novel and historic reality. The famous Dracula castle is a fascinating place to visit. But Count Dracula exists only in the imagination.
Touring the Famous Dracula Castle
Romania is a dramatic East European country with a rich history and natural beauty. Bran Castle is one of its most important historical landmarks and monuments.
This unique fortress attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. It sits on a rocky crag, high above the picturesque village of Bran, near the Transylvanian city of Brasov. It overlooks the village from a 200-foot cliff.
Visitors can view imposing towers and turrets. Narrow, winding stairways. Hidden, underground passages. Amazing works of art. This is the stuff of Bran Castle.
Wood paintings, sculptures, silver, and decorative furnishings fill the castle. The museum also has an impressive collection of weapons that date from the Middle Ages to the 1800s.
The Customs House, an economic center during medieval times, stands at the foot of the castle. The Village Museum is an open air attraction of traditional folk architecture.
Visit the official website for a video tour of Bran Castle. There, you can see a castle overview, an aerial view, a time tunnel, and landscapes from Bran-Moeciu. For a walking guide, read John Merrill’s Walking in Dracula Country.
Want to know more about Halloween in Transylvania? Or the annual Halloween Party at the famous Dracula castle? Visit Transylvania Live for all the details, photos, reviews, and ticket information. ◻️
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Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. Have you ever toured Bran Castle, or is it on your bucket list? Where is your favorite vacation spot and why?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or say just hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “Bran Castle: The Famous Dracula Castle in Central Romania.” An earlier version appeared on HubPages in October 2011. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Photo Sources
- Balcon del Mundo | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
- Adrian Simbotin | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0
- George Grantham Bain Collection, Kyle Thayer | Wikimedia Commons | Public Domain
