Meeting Dracula at Bran Castle

Transylvania was a borderlands for most of it’s history, and as such, is dotted with castles and other fortifications all across the province. One such fortress is Bran Castle. There are castles in Transylvania that are bigger, or with more impressive interior, but Bran Castle comes to the forefront as it nearly perfectly matches the description of the vampire’s castle in Bram Stoker’s seminal novel. This being one of my favourite books, we decided to take a day trip from Brasov, despite being told that it wouldn’t be worth it by a local. As it turned out, I was very glad we ignored his recommendation.

We came to Bran at the tail end of winter, and snow still covered parts of the castle grounds. This, combined with the grey weather, and chilly winds, created an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that made you feel as if the vampire was watching you from the castle’s windows. I’d imagine that the castle would be even better to visit in the dead of winter, with less people around, and snow covering the whole building.

Nestled amongst Transylvanian hills, Bran and it’s castle provide plenty of opportunities for photography of striking mountain scenery. You’re also accompanied by old religious imagery on your ascent to the castle, such as stone crosses, which help build the dark and foreboding atmosphere.

The inside of the castle is rather less spooky. It is a museum dedicated to the history of the castle, as well as Transylvania in general. Here, we learned how Transylvanian nobility live from the 16th century all through to the time the castle served as a residence for the beloved Queen Marie of Romania in the 20th century. In fact, we also learned that the historic Vlad Tepes (the inspiration for Dracula) likely never visited the castle.

My favourite part of the castle was a large section dedicated to the vast and interesting world of Romanian folklore. Here, wax models and holograms are used to retell the stories of spirits and phantoms that once haunted the nightmares of the people of Transylvania.

The visit ends with the castle courtyard, where you can imagine how it was once the bustling centre of noble life in medieval Transylvania. The ramparts of the fortress tower over you, and you can really put yourself in the shoes of one of the castles many residents.

Bran Castle is an enchanting place, with a dark and foreboding atmosphere that is very reminiscent of Bram Stoker’s novel. I would highly recommend you come to visit this castle, nested in the shadow of Transylvanian hills, and her dark legends.