The Castle of Bran close to the town of Brasov is a national monument in Romania. On the border of Transylvania and Wallachia, the castle is known as ‘Dracula’s Castle’, although it is only one of many fortresses associated with the historical figure of Dracula, son of Dracul, or the son of the dragon.
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Historically it would be possible that the castles of Poienari and Hunyad were the residences of the Prince of Darkness. Historians think that the Castle of Bran was the real home of this bloodthirsty historical figure, who was the inspiration for the character Dracula in the world-famous novel of Bram Stoker.
However, there is no scientific or historical proof that Bram Stoker even knew about this place.
What is a fact is that Vlad Tepes, the real historical name of Dracula, lived there while he was on the warpath in Transylvania?
Touristic Museum
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Today the region still flirts with the romantic idea of vampires and even promotes it, because it brings the locals the so much needed money from tourists. The castle underwent a transformation, into a museum where people can admire the art collection of Queen Marie of Romania. Tourist can wander around individually or under the supervision of a guide. In the shadow of a surrounding mountain lays an open door museum with rural buildings like farms, barns and other agricultural buildings from all over Romania.
Origin
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In 1212 Teutonic Knights build the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a power center in The Burzenland near the entrance from a path through a mountain valley, where merchants used it for more than a millennium until it was destroyed by Mongol hordes in 1242.
The first document referring to Castle Bran is a declaration from King Louis I of Hungary on November 19, 1377, which granted the citizens of Brasov permission to build a castle.
The castle got a strategic value in 1378 as a defense post of the Ottoman Empire and later became a customs station between Transylvania and Wallachia. The castle was for a short period the property of Mircea the Old of Wallachia. Later, Vlad Tepes would make it his headquarters in Transylvania.
Royal Palace
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In 1920, the castle was the official residence of the monarchy in Romania. It was the main residence of Queen Marie. The castle was full of art pieces and traditional furniture and wall carpets.
Princess Ileana, daughter of Queen Marie inherited the castle until confiscated by the communist revolution in 1948.
In 2005 the Romanian government decided by special decree that it was possible to reclaim property that was lost during the communist dictatorship. In 2006 Archduke Dominic of Austria-Tuscany, better known as Dominic von Habsburg, an architect in New York and also the son of Princes Ileana the ownership of the castle.
The Sale
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In 2007, the archduke Dominic decided to sell the castle for 78 million dollars. In 2008, the Romanian government tried to cancel the property right to the Archduke, but the Supreme Court ruled that the royal family was the sole owners of the castle. He decided to keep the property in the family and turned it into a museum in remembrance of Queen Marie and the rich history of the place.
In the castle, many clues and object refer to Vlad Tepes of Vlad The Impaler, a true historical figure on which the figure of Dracula is based. Much to the dislike of the owners, the castle is in the mind of the people not referred to as Queen Marie’s Castle, but as the castle of Dracula.
