Romania — The Horror of Dracula; Bran Castle

About 186 driving kilometers/115 miles northwest of Old Town, Bucharest, just 16 miles/25 kilometers southwest of Brașov, an ominous looking edifice sits high atop a tall hill overlooking Bran, Romania, which lies on the Transylvanian side (where else?) of the Transylvania-Wallachia border. This is Bran Castle, which was built by the Saxons in 1377, and which today belongs to Archduke Dominic  von Habsburg of Austria-Tuscany. Previous owners include Queen Marie of Romania and Princess Ileana of Romania. Today it is a museum containing arts and artifacts collected by Queen Marie. On one floor, however, you’ll find “A History of Dreads in Transylvania” with displays featuring Romanian legends and myths — The Grim Reaper, Iele, Sântoaderi, Solomonari, Strigoi. Werewolves and, of course, a particularly famous vampire. But, at no point in its long history did Bran Castle ever belong to Vlad Drăculea (Vlad Dracula), a.k.a., Vlad III, a.k.a., Vlad Tepes, a.k.a., Vlad the Impaler, and there is no documented evidence that Vlad ever spent time there other than a rumor he was briefly held prisoner there. That rumor is discounted by many historians, who say he was most likely held prisoner in Budapest.

So, if Vlad “Drăculea/Dracula” Tepes, who ruled nearby Wallachia rather than Transylvania, has no known connection to Bran Castle, why is it today referred to as Castle Dracula? Is there a connection, perchance, to Bram Stocker, the Irish novelest who created the most infamous vampire in literature and cinema?

Let me be the bearer of bad news: As with Vlad Tepes, there is no known connection to even Bram Stocker. Indeed, many scholars discount entirely that Bram Stocker even knew of Vlad Dracula, let alone used him as an inspiration.

So what’s the connection to Dracula? Tourism. Dracula draws tourists, Bran Castle is in Transylvania, although just barely, and Bram Stocker’s description of Bran Castle’s location seems to vaguely fit, although he put Dracula’s fixer-upper with a view much further north, near the “Borgo Pass” (Tihuța Pass).

In other words, the connection to Dracula is hype geared toward sucking (see what I just did there?) tourist dollars into the town of Bran. Don’t let that scare you away, however. Bran Castle is historic in its own right, and well worth the trip. And Bran is itself a charming little village.

Besides, Bran Castle is a museum, and you’ll find within its stone walls much to appreciate.

The castle was, after all, a royal residence, and it contains many artifacts from Queen Marie. So suspend your disappointment and head on out to Bran if you’re ever in the neighborhood. On Wednesday, it’ll be best if you forget everything that I mentioned as to Bran Castle’s Dracula connection, or lack thereof, as I’ll be concentrating more on the horror aspect of this side trip. Until then, one last non-Dracula image:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)