I may be stretching a point when I call this Dracula's castle, but he did stay there, and it certainly looks the part. Its official name is Bran Castle. It was built towards the end of the 14th century on the border between Wallachia and Transylvania, on the edge of the Bran pass near Brasov in Romania. Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler, son of Vlad Dracul, did live there for a short time as a guest.
It's a wonderful looking "real" castle and easy to see why the legend of Dracula would be associated with such a place. Now a museum to display the art and furniture collections of Queen Marie of Romania, it nevertheless makes the most of the Dracula connection.
I had never heard of Queen Marie before looking up the history of Bran Castle. To my surprise she was born in Kent, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and cousin of the then Prince of Wales who went on to be George V. The Royal Family certainly does get around.
Nice looking castle - and Dracula living or staying there even for a short time - certainly makes it even more popular/famous... :)
ReplyDelete@Daria, you're right, it does give added value. :)
ReplyDeleteIt really is both beautiful but also very easily fitting to be Dracula's Castle, absolutetly...thanks for the info, Queen Marie is new to me too! ..and the name Bran is just so like cereal here!
ReplyDeleteI'll think of this when I read Bram Stoker's Dracula which I have just downloaded to my Kindle.
ReplyDeleteI have visited it several times, Brasov being my birthplace...:)
ReplyDeleteI agree with all you said - you got it right. :)
It is an impressive looking place. No wonder the English were checking it out!
ReplyDeleteAn amazing picture. So a Dracula descendent mailed this card to you?
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