Bran Castle

Words are superfluous to try to comprehend the grandeur of this historic Romanian building. Everyone has heard of Dracula and more and more people are beginning to learn about the origin of this legend that stems from this very castle, the great Bran Castle.

Just 30km from Brasov is a marvel of a monument that dates back to 1382, after only 5 years of construction. After a long history in which it came into the possession of several great personalities of the time including Queen Mary, in 1948 it came into the possession of the Romanian state and since then has returned to the heirs of Princess Ileana, daughter of Queen Mary. The castle is built on a cliff, at a key strategic point, which was used in the battles fought in the Middle Ages on the Transylvanian lands.

Bram Stoker’s character Dracula is often confused with the ruler Vlad Tepes, who was a much feared figure because of his method of punishment by spike. However, Bran Castle has nothing to do with this ruler, it just fits perfectly with the author’s description of Dracula, the atmosphere surrounding the castle being straight out of the books. Whoever chooses to visit Brasov must make a small detour to enjoy the enchanting view that the castle offers.

The interior of the castle is mostly visited with the help of a guide and tourists will visit the following: the armoury where you can see a 16th century horse armour, then the music room where you can reach the narrow stairs, the third floor where you can see the inner courtyard with the fountain in the centre and the last level offers a view of the Turcu river and the serpentines from Fundata to Rucăr. Last but not least, after leaving the castle you can visit the Museum of the Brănean Village which shows pastoral life.