Is Dracula's castle in Romania real?

"Dracula's Castle"

Though many myths have been connected to him in connection with the Dracula myth, most historians agree that Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, never set foot in Castle Bran, which was neither a friendly place for him to visit nor under his rule.

Where is the real Dracula's castle located?

Bran Castle in Romania is one of the most popular Halloween destinations. Located about 30 km from the capital Bucharest, the protected historical monument is an ancient medieval fortress that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Legend has it that the infamous vampire Dracula lived in this castle.

Does Vlad Dracula's castle still exist?

After his death, the castle was abandoned and has been in ruin ever since. Although it is visited by travelers and locals alike, it is no small feat—to reach the castle, visitors need to climb 1,480 steps!

Did Dracula exist in Romania?

Dracula was a real person, more commonly known in medieval Romania as Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia or Vlad the Impaler.

Is there such thing as Dracula's castle?

Dracula may be a fictional character from Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel of the same name, but turns out there is actually a "Dracula's Castle" located just outside of Brasov in Romania and the former Eastern border of Transylvania.

Inside the business of Transylvania and the real-life Dracula's castle in Romania

Can you visit Dracula's castle in Romania?

Bran Castle is the most visited attraction in all of Romania, in part thanks to Bram Stoker and his legend of Dracula.

What castle is Dracula's castle based on?

Bran Castle is often associated with the fictional vampire Count Dracula. The Romanian castle resembles Castle Dracula, as described in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897), in that both stand on rocky precipices and command spectacular views.

Who lives in Dracula's castle now?

In 2006, Bran Castle was legally returned to the descendants of Princess Ileana. Today, it is owned by the Archduke Dominic von Habsburg of Austria-Tuscany and his two sisters, Archduchess Elisabeth and Archduchess Maria Magdalena.

Is the real Dracula's castle still standing?

The answer to this fortress is yes. Dracula's castle is still standing. It is now a museum and it was open to the public at the beginning of the XXI century. The place is very well preserved and inside you can find furniture and decoration objects dated from the beginning of the previous century.

Where is Dracula buried?

Some people believed one could be the grave of Dracula, but we know for a fact that there is no record of a Count Dracula ever being buried in St Mary's Churchyard. Vlad Tepes, a 15th Century Prince, who the character of Dracula is inspired by is buried near his home in Transylvania, Romania at Lake Snagov.

Why is Romania the land of Dracula?

However the fictional character, created by author Bram Stoker, was in fact based on a real historical figure called Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, was a 15th-century warlord, in what today is Romania, in south-eastern Europe.

Is Transylvania still in Romania?

Transylvania (Romanian: Transilvania or Ardeal; Hungarian: Erdély; German: Siebenbürgen or Transsilvanien) is a historical and cultural region in Central-Eastern Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains and to the west the Apuseni Mountains.

Do Romanians still believe in vampires?

Some in rural Romania still believe in vampires.

In the small villages of rural Romania, many people still turn to vampires as an explanation of confounding circumstances.

Can you go inside Dracula's castle?

It's the most famous medieval castle in the entire country that sees over 800,000 visitors each year and is a must-visit attraction. On your guided tour you can learn about Romanian royalty, Transylvanian legends, and the literary connections to the famous bloodthirsty vampire of Count Dracula.

Who killed Dracula in real life?

In 1476, while marching to yet another battle with the Ottomans, Vlad and a small vanguard of soldiers were ambushed, and Vlad was killed and beheaded — by most reports, his head was delivered to Mehmed II in Constantinople as a trophy to be displayed above the city's gates.

What nationality is Dracula vampire?

Count Dracula is an undead, centuries-old vampire, and a Transylvanian nobleman who claims to be a Székely descended from Attila the Hun. He inhabits a decaying castle in the Carpathian Mountains near the Borgo Pass.

What is Dracula's real name Romania?

Vlad the Impaler, in full Vlad III Dracula or Romanian Vlad III Drăculea, also called Vlad III or Romanian Vlad Țepeș, (born 1431, Sighișoara, Transylvania [now in Romania]—died 1476, north of present-day Bucharest, Romania), voivode (military governor, or prince) of Walachia (1448; 1456–1462; 1476) whose cruel methods ...

Is Van Helsing Based on a true story?

Stoker's inspiration for the character is not known. However, one theory is that Van Helsing was based on Georg Andreas Helwing, a real life 18th century Lutehran pastor from Angerburg in what was then the Duchy of Prussia (today Węgorzewo, Poland).

How old is Dracula's castle in Romania?

Bran Castle was built between 1377 and 1388 atop a strategic site overlooking a heavily trafficked mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia, the land over which Vlad the Impaler ruled in the 15th century.

What happened to the original Dracula?

Schreck died of heart failure aged 56, and was buried in an unmarked grave near Berlin, where he was born in 1879. In the years that followed, his name has lived on in filmlore, thanks to the undying appeal of his most famous role.

Where is Dracula's wife?

Martha was the wife of Dracula and the mother of Mavis. She was killed by a mob of humans while trying to hide. She died when there was a fire.

How many of Dracula's wives do we see at Dracula's castle?

The Brides of Dracula are characters in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. They are three seductive female vampire "sisters" who reside with Count Dracula in his castle in Transylvania, where they entrance male humans with their beauty and charm, and then proceed to feed upon them.

What is the oldest vampire legend?

The first prose vampire story published in English is believed to be John Polidori's “The Vampyre” (1819), about a mysterious aristocrat named Lord Ruthven who seduces young women only to drain their blood and disappear.