Bran Castle – Between legend and truth
Bran Castle, perhaps the most legendary castle in Romania, awaits you with unique stories.
Situated in the beautiful Bârsei Country, in the Rucăr-Bran Passage, between the Bucegi Mountains and Piatra Craiului, Bran Castle remains the memory of times long gone. Only 30 km separate Bran Castle from the tourist attractions in Brasov.
The castle itself, and the views that open from its windows, are absolutely spectacular.
Take a trip back to medieval times and learn more about Bran Castle!
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- When was Bran Castle built?
- How did Bran Castle become known as Dracula Castle?
- Bran Castle Legend
- Who owns Bran Castle?
- Bran Castle interior
- House of the Groazei Bran
- Time tunnel Bran
- Bran Castle Program
Find quick answers to your questions:
In 1388 the construction of Bran Castle by the Saxons of Brasov is completed.
The legend of Bran Castle originated from the character “Dracula” in Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name. Dracula represents a Transylvanian count, a vampire for centuries, who lived in a certain castle.
Since only Bran Castle fits the description, it became known as Castle Dracula.
You can visit the interior of Bran Castle, a frontier point in medieval times and Queen Mary’s residence in the last century. You can see the House of Horrors and the Time Tunnel.
When was Bran Castle built?
The story of Bran Castle began in 1211 when the Teutonic Knights received the Barsa Country from King Andrew II of Hungary.
Their role was to defend the south-eastern border of Transylvania from migrating tribes.In 1226 they built a fortress at Bran, after which they were driven out of the region. This fortress is the forerunner of today’s Bran Castle.
A century and a half later, in 1377, the Hungarian king Louis the Great – Louis I of Anjou, gave the inhabitants of Brasov the right to build a castle.
In 1388 the construction of the castle was completed.
It soon came to play a significant role in the region. Located on the edge of the region, it acted as a customs house, charging 3% of the value of goods going out and coming into Transylvania.
How did Bran Castle become known as Dracula Castle?
Bran Castle takes you back to Dracula, and all the stories associated with him.
But what, if anything, is the connection between Bran Castle and Dracula?
The answer lies in the rest of the castle’s history.
Thus, after the death of Mircea the Elder, Sigismund of Luxembourg offers the castle to the princes of Transylvania. Iancu de Hunedoara is the one who defeated the Turks at Bran in 1441.
In 1448, Vlad Țepeș is the one in charge of defending the border against the Turks.
However, in 1459 he turned his weapons against Brasov and killed hundreds of Saxons. Since then, the Saxon chronicles portray him as a bloodthirsty leader.
But from here to the Dracula connection is a long way. So where is the historical reality and where is the legend?
The legend of Bran Castle and the connection with Count Dracula
The association between Vlad the Impaler and Count Dracula is pure…myth. But where did the story start?
From the Irish writer Bram Stoker and his novel Dracula, written at the end of the 19th century.
Dracula is the main character of the novel, which represents a Transylvanian count, a vampire for centuries, living in a certain castle.
Since only Bran Castle fits the description, it became known as Castle Dracula.
Dracula, however, is an imaginary character. Vlad Tepes did indeed have this nickname, because of his character presented as ruthless. Originally, however, the name Dracula was not to be feared. It comes from the name of a Crusader order – the Order of the Dragon. Vlad Dracul, Vlad the Impaler’s father, was a member of this order.
The ghost and vampire stories are later additions designed to arouse suspense and wonder. In the area around Bran, stories of the undead are widespread, so it didn’t take long for the character to come to life.
There are significant differences between the mythological character Dracula and the historical character Vlad Țepeș.
In fact, it is not known whether Vlad Tepes ever conquered Bran Castle or not.
What is known is that he was imprisoned for 2 months in Bran by the King of Hungary.
But the story of Bran Castle doesn’t stop at the legend of Dracula.
The story of Bran Castle continues
After the episode with Vlad Țepeș, the history of Bran Castle continues to be written.
An important year is 1498, when the Saxons of Brasov buy from Vladislav II Jagello, King of Hungary, the right to use the castle and the customs for 10 years.
In 1651, the people of Brasov managed to buy the castle from Prince Gheorghe Rackoczi. The following century the castle underwent several renovations, necessary as time went by.
In 1836, the border was moved and Bran Castle lost its customs role. In 1886 major restoration works were carried out, necessary after many wars in the area.
In 1888, Brasov ceded the castle to the regional forestry school. Thus, the castle, once the residence of the vice-voivode of Transylvania, now becomes the home of the brigadiers.
In December 1920, Bran Castle is offered to Queen Maria of Romania.
Queen Mary loved this castle and turned it into a royal residence.
Today, the tour of the castle includes, for the most part, the restoration carried out by Queen Mary in the interwar period.
Who currently owns Bran Castle?
Over the last century, Bran Castle has had a winding existence.
In 1940, Queen Mary’s heart was brought from Balchik to Bran. In 1944, Princess Ileana built a hospital for war wounded in Bran, called the Queen’s Heart.
In 1948, the communist government forced Princess Ileana to leave the country with her entire family. In 1956, Bran Castle was transformed into a museum.
It was not until 2006 that the castle was returned to the heirs, and in 2009 it came into their full possession: Archduke Dominic, Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Archduchess Elisabeth.
Inside Bran Castle – What will you see on a tour?
The tour of Bran Castle takes about an hour and a half.
Access is through one of the castle’s gates and you will visit all 4 towers, rooms and corridors.
What you will see inside Bran Castle has almost nothing to do with medieval history. As a royal residence in the interwar period, Bran Castle was renovated and modified to serve new purposes.
You’ll see Queen Mary’s bedroom, along with collections of her jewellery and clothing.
You will also see rooms belonging to King Ferdinand and furniture used by him.
Other rooms in the castle are used to illustrate the various beliefs in fairies and ghosts that haunt the surrounding countryside. The view of the inner courtyard and the panorama of the valley is impressive from the balconies.
Also here you will learn more about Vlad Țepeș, his connection with the castle and with Count Dracula. You’ll also discover interesting information from films based on Bram Stoker’s novel.
House of Horrors Bran – A history of scares in Transylvania
What would Bran Castle be without the House of Horrors?
The exhibition “A History of Fears in Transylvania” on the 4th floor reveals the most terrifying fears of people in medieval times.
You will see 7 ghostly characters that the Transylvanian people feared – the Death, the Ielele, the Sântoaderii, the Solomonarii, the Stafia, the Strigoi and the Vârcolacii.
It is interesting to learn what powers people attributed to them and how they guided their lives according to them.
The exhibition is permanent and can be visited free of charge.
Bran Time Tunnel – Last point of the tour
The Tunnel of Time, once a secret passage, today presents the link between ghostly and historical figures.
The history of the tunnel is also interesting, as it was built in 1937.
A vertical lift was then introduced for easy access to the castle for Queen Mary. To do this, the engineers made use of the 59-metre-deep well, which dates back to the 17th century.
For 70 years, under communism, the tunnel was forgotten. Until it was decided to showcase it again in a unique exhibition.
It used 60 servers, 80 sound channels and 120 programs and applications, among many others.
The spectacle of lights and images thus created is complemented by olfactory and auditory stimuli through perfume and music.
A visit to the Tunnel of Time is a must when you’re at Bran Castle. Even though there is an extra fee to visit, the experience here makes the whole tour extraordinary.
Bran Castle Program – When can you visit it?
See below for Bran Castle’s programme and when you can visit it:
1 October – 31 March
Tuesday – Sunday – 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last entry), Monday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last entry)
1 April – 30 September
Tuesday – Sunday – 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry), Monday 12:00 to 18:00 (last entry)
Prices vary depending on the period.
For up-to-date data, visit the official website.
Have you visited Bran Castle? How did you find it?