Bran Castle or the so-called Castle of Dracula is one of the main tourist attractions in the region of Transylvania, in the heart of Romania. Although it has or not to do with the character who inspired Bram Stoker for his novel, the truth is that Bran Castle deserves to be visited for what it really is, for myths or for its history. Bran Castle, commonly known as Dracula's Castle, which is by far one of the most famous castles in Transylvania and Romania.I believe that the historical note should be maintained. Next I will tell you about its history, visit, etc.
The origins of Bran Castle date back to 1211, when the Knights of the Teutonic Order built their first fortress. Although the region then belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary, German crusaders had been invited to occupy the lands to protect the borders of the Cumans and other eastern tribes.
In 1377 by order of King Louis I of Hungary, Bran became a real castle, fulfilling a commercial and defensive function. In 1395, Sigismund of Luxembourg, German emperor and king of Hungary, used Bran Castle as a strategic base for an incursion into Wallachia, after which he removed the voivode Vlad the Usurper, the rival of Mircea the Elder, his vassal.
Bran Castle is located 30 km southwest of Brasov, one of the most important and beautiful cities in Transylvania. The first thing to note is that the castle is integrated into the small town of Bran, but surrounded by forests and gardens that make it difficult to see from the outside. The history of Bran Castle is related to Vlad Țepeș (ruler of Wallachia). After he lost his throne, Iancu de Hunedoara (voivode of Transylvania) supported Vlad Ţepeş, to become the ruler of Wallachia. Vlad Țepeș was involved in several campaigns to punish the German merchants
of Brasov who failed to abide by his commands as regards their trade in
his Walachian markets. Vlad Also known as Vlad Dracula.
The owners of the castle are Archduke Dominic, Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Archduchess Elisabeta, more precisely the children of Princess Ileana who owned it in 1938-1948 inherited from Queen Maria. Therefore, they make the investments and are the beneficiaries of the visiting fees. The arrangements in the castle combine royal souvenirs, which certainly attract fewer tourists, with Dracula. There are several rooms where it is said that Prince Nicholas or Princess Ileana were staying or that Queen Mary was serving dinner. Today, the castle is a museum dedicated to art and furniture collected by Queen Maria.
In 1956, after the Romanian royal family had to flee the country, the communist regime decided to transform Bran Castle into a museum. It was returned to Dominic von Habsburg, Princess Ileana’s son, in 2006.
An important thing is to be allowed to shoot inside the castle. Also inside the castle there is a shop where tourists can buy souvenirs.
The castle has 4 floors:
- on the 1st floor “Great Hall”, “Gothic Hall”, “Queen Mary's Bedroom”;
- on the 2nd floor “Dining room”, “Rustic Hall”, “King Ferdinand's Bedroom”;
- on the 3rd floor “Queen Maria's Hall” and “Prince Nicolae's Room”;
- on the 4th floor, rooms with weapons, armor, old ceramic objects, silver, icons;
If you didn't know, the castle also has a secret staircase that connects the first floor and the third floor, it was discovered during the consolidation works of the castle and is today accessible to tourists.
The main reason why foreign tourists choose to visit Bran Castle is the legend that has been created around it. The castle is included in the lists of the most beautiful castles in Europe. The castle is also a popular location for Halloween events.
The inner courtyard of the castle has decorative elements on the facade, and the fountain gives it a special charm.
Originally, Bran Castle was a fortress known as the Dietrichstein, built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights in 1212, then conquered by the Saxons in the late thirteenth century.
In 1407, Sigismund granted Mircea control of the castle of Bran (without the related domain). Bran remained under the authority of Wallachia until 1419.
In 1427, Bran Castle passed from the ownership of the seat of Brașov to that of the Hungarian Crown, which financed the fortification and expansion works. In 1498 the fortress of Bran was rented by the Hungarian royalty to the Seat of Brașov.
Although the famous Wallachian ruler Vlad Țepeș might have passed several times near Bran, there is no historical document attesting that he ever visited it. ater on, because of Saxon's request to raise the taxes and for supporting one of his opponents, the voivode attacked Brasov in 1459 and murdered hundreds of Saxons.
On December 1, 1920, on the initiative of Mayor Karl Ernst Schnell, the Brașov City Council donated the castle to Queen Maria of Romania, in gratitude for his contribution to the achievement of the Great Union. On the queen's death in 1938, the castle was inherited by her favorite daughter, Princess Ileana, who married Archduke Anton, a member of the former Habsburg imperial family. During the Second World War, Ileana returned with her family to the country and lived in Bran. He set up a hospital for the victims of the war.
The castle has been open to public visitors since 1956, being arranged as a museum of history and feudal art. In 1987 it underwent restoration, a work completed in 1993. The castle reopens as a museum and re-enters the tourist circuit. In June 2009, the renovated castle was opened together with the Bran Village to preserve and boost Romania's tourism.
What do you think about the castle? Isn't it worth a visit?
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