Bran Castle is 30 km far from Braşov and it is one of the most impressive historical monuments of Romania. Built on a rock, it houses the Bran Museum and constitutes an attraction for the tourists interested in the legend of Count Dracula. Bran Castle is also known as Dracula’s Castle, as the tourists themselves label it. According to Historia.ro, this name was given more than 30 years ago by the American tourists who came here searching for Dracula, after having seen the movies based on Bram Stoker’s novel. On this subject, the visitors of the castle may also receive information from the castle’s guides, both on Count Dracula and the castle’s centuries-old history.
Initially it was a wooden fortress; in 1377, the Saxons occupied the throne of Braşov and built a new fortress, which had a defensive role for several centuries. In 1920, Braşov People Council donated Bran Castle to Queen Marie of Romania as a sign of gratitude for the Great Union of 1918. During the reign of Queen Marie, Bran Castle reached its period of glory as a royal residence. Queen Marie’s heart was buried for a short time at Bran. In 1938, this castle was inherited by Queen Marie’s daughter, Princess Ileana and in 1948, the royal family was forced by the communist regime to leave Romania. Bran castle was included in the property of the Romanian State. In 2000, the castle was claimed and presently it belongs to Princess Ileana’s heir, Dominic of Habsburg.
Further information is available on www.castelulbran.ro.
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