Visiting Dracula’s Castle

In the village of Transylvania lies Bran Castle – or what many tourists and couch adventurers have come to call “Dracula’s castle.” For some who love Halloween and spooky vibes, the stone walls and secret passage ways make it a bucket list worthy destination. For others, the scariest part of the visit is finding out that the castle has more to do with history than with horror.

Dracula Isn’t Real.

I know. I was pretty disappointed when I first learned the truth, too.

A person who was real, was Vlad Tepes, better known as Vlad the Imapler. Tepes was a prince who ruled over the former kingdom of Wallachia. The castle in which he resided is now in ruins.

Due to Tepes’ notorious method of killing his captures (penetrating with a spear) his reputation looms significantly bloody in the imagination. He was also occasionally known as Vlad Dracul. Dracul, in Romanian, means something akin to “the devil.”

According to Bran Castle, Stoker (author of Dracula) got his inspiration from the local myth of the “steregoi” or evil spirits near the castle. These were typical people during the day, but as they slept in bed at night, their souls escaped them and tormented villagers until morning. Specifically, I think of the first time that Jonathan Harker visits Dracula’s castle and sees Dracula’s brides materialize right in front of his eyes, and thinks that perhaps he is dreaming. This scene was dope!

Bram Stoker Has A Vivid Imagination.

Bram Stoker is the author of the infamous classic novel, Dracula. For just about most of my life, I thought that he was Romanian. However, I was shocked to know that Stoker lived in London, and never actually visited Romania!

He used Bran Castle as the home for his titular character, and his descriptions are remarkably accurate, but he never actually visited the castle. Allegedly, he used a drawing of it on an antiquated guide book as his inspiration.

There is much debate about whether Bram Stoker had been inspired by Vlad Tepes in his creation of the blood thirsty Dracula. This is a source of debate among scholars. However, Bran Castle historians state that Stoker did not want to make his character a “person of historic significance.” So, in their perspective, Dracula is not modeled after Tepes. Tepes does have one tie to the castle though. Those in the town of Brasov who did not follow his rules were led through Bran to get to Wallachia (his kingdom.) Bran was a customs station in his heyday.

So, Should You Go?

Why? Were you only planning on going until you found out Dracula didn’t really live there?

I say, ABSOLUTELY! Dracula isn’t real, and he didn’t actually live in the castle, but it’s fun to imagine him sidling up the outside of the castle and luring victims to his lair. The castle, with its dark wood exterior and accents, secret tunnel, small creaking stairs, and towering presence serves some legitimate ghoulish vibes. If you’re looking for spooky ambiance, Bran Castle does not disappoint!

Who Did Live in Bran?

A version of the Bran fortress was in existence since the 1200s. In 1388, the actual castle as we know it was complete and used as a customs station and defense against battle, so needless to say it has a rich and long history. That alone makes it interesting.

In 1920, Queen Maria of Romania, through a unanimous vote of the Brasov city council, would become the owner of the castle. Maria of Romania gave it to her daughter, Princess Ileana who constructed a hospital within it in the 40s and named it The Hospital of the Queen’s Heart” for those in the area wounded and maimed in war. It stayed in the family until the 1950s where the communist regime of Romania transformed it into a museum. Ileana was exiled to a convent during the regime but missed the castle so much that when she passed, she was buried with dirt from the base of it. In 2009, it was given back to its rightful heirs. Much of the displays in the castle are about Queen Maria’s family.

Don’t fret, you can still get your spooky fix.

Be sure to walk through the ‘hidden staircase’ now open to guests. Also, for an additional two US dollars, you can see the gruesome torture chamber rooms. Be on the look out for the themed events that the castle hosts!

Want to see more castles?

Follow along to the castle which inspired The Great Gatsby on Long Island, NY

                                                       AND

See why you really need to plan before visiting Prague castle