Bran castle is also called Dracula‘s Castle, and is located in the Transylvania region of Romania. But did Dracula really live in this castle, and why is it called Dracula’s Castle?
An Easy Day Trip to Bran Castle Transylvania
Bran castle in Transylvania is a must see destination if you ever travel to Romania. It’s about 200 km from Bucharest to the north, and is about a three hour drive. It’s in a mountainous area surrounded by the picturesque Carpathian Mountains.
History of Bran Castle – Vlad Dracula
This is an authentic medieval castle built in the 14th century. Our tour guide told us that the man who built Bran Castle was a grandson of the famous Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Vlad Dracula. However I don’t buy into this story, for the dates don’t seem to line up.
The story goes that Vlad the Impaler had rather a nasty reputation as a cruel and ruthless ruler of 15th century Romania. And that’s why he was given the nickname Dracul, which translates as “son of the devil”.
Vlad Dracula was said to have passed through this valley several times, however there are no firm associations between Vlad Dracula and Dracula’s Castle a.k.a. Bran Castle. Here’s a picture of Mr. Vlad.
I’m at Bran Castle in Bran, Brașov https://t.co/RhX81d2Ii3 pic.twitter.com/SVniitIZ1X
— leandro (@leoSouto) August 27, 2018
Whether or not the man who built it was related to the Vlad the Impaler has little effect on the astonishing beauty of this castle. This is an authentic medieval castle from the 14th century, and it’s dripping with medieval character.
Bram Stoker and Count Dracula
Apparently Bram Stoker got a little confused as to the real location of Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania. Bran Castle fit the description perfectly for the castle described in Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula.
Bran Castle is located high on a rock above a valley in Transylvania, exactly the same as in Bram Stoker’s 19th century novel Dracula. But there is debate over whether Bram Stoker based Draculas’s Castle on Bran Castle, or a different castle some 60 km away.
And also there’s another newer castle built in the Northern Romania which is rumoured to be Dracula’s Castle. So as it stands today there are actually three potential Dracula‘s Castles, and a bit of debate as to which one is the real one referred to in Bram Stoker’s famous novel, Dracula.
The Hunyad Castle in Transylvania, Romania. This was supposedly the inspiration for Dracula’s castle in B. Stokers book pic.twitter.com/PbbSWncE
— warebear (@Warebear0118) October 3, 2012
Whether or not Bran Castle is the real Dracula‘s Castle, it is still in amazing castle to visit. That’s because of its authenticity, being a genuine medieval castle built on top of a 60 metre cliff. And it’s in such a beautiful mountainous location.
Bran Castle Royal History
This castle also has some recent royal history. It was the favourite residence of the Queen of Romania, from the 1920s through to about 1948, when the Communist rulers confiscated Bran Castle and expelled the Royal Family.
The castle remained State property with the Communist party until around 1989, when they were overthrown during the Romanian Revolution. When Romania took back possession of the castle in 1989, they discovered that all the authentic medieval furniture was missing.
So the empty castle was re-stocked with replica medieval furniture, which is amazingly accurate and antique looking to this day. But it is a shame that it’s not the authentic medieval furniture that would’ve been found there in the 1920s.
Tour Inside Bran Castle
We booked a tour through our favourite tour booking platform GetYourGuide.com. The tour was called 2 Transylvania Castles in 1 Day. The tour left Bucharest at 8 am and was advertised as a 12 hour tour. As it turned out we arrived home back in Bucharest around 9:30 PM, so it’s closer to a 14 hour tour.
Bran Castle is the last stop for the day on this 2 Castle tour. The bus stops at the parking area, about a 15 minute walk from the castle. There are very few stair stairs along the walk up to Bran Castle, but there is a moderately steep pathway.
We visited the castle on a Saturday during peak season (mid summer) on a nice warm sunny day. In mid afternoon there were literally swarms of people walking through Bran Castle. Check out the video below and you’ll see what I mean.
There is one entrance and one exit to Bran Castle, and a standard marked route that visitors follow through the castle interior. The marked tour route takes you up to the third floor through a series of narrow staircases. Our favourite is the secret staircase which takes you from the 1st to the second floor.
Medieval Museum
Along the marked tour route you pass many rooms set up as a kind of museum where you can see a re-enactment of medieval life. Medieval armour and weapons are on display, and even a torture chamber.
At one point you pass by a room with the replica kings crown set up in a cabinet. Along the castle tour route there are heaps of great viewing points, both at the stunning surrounding countryside and the internal enclosed courtyard.
The good thing about Bran Castle is that you’re not part of a guided tour, so there’s no real hurry. Instead the tour is self paced, and there are heaps of instructional boards along the way, where you can read about the history and significance of each room.
Before you exit the Bran Castle you pass a couple of basic souvenir shops packed with Bran Castle souvenirs. We bypassed these and bought our souvenirs along the road side after you exit the castle, where there are heaps more souvenir shops at cheaper prices.
Other Things to See at Bran Castle
On the way out be sure to take a walk around the lake below the castle. It’s here that you get the best photo of the castle with the lake in the foreground and a reflection of the castle on the lake.
This would be best in the morning, because it is difficult to get a good photo of the castle in late afternoon with the sun directly behind the castle.
The GetYourGuide.com tour package includes the Bran Castle entrance fee. In Bran Castle you don’t have to pay for a photography pass either (unlike nearby Peles Castle), which is a tremendous relief.
Recommended Itinerary
All in all you should allow around three hours to visit Bran Castle. Here’s our recommended itinerary:
- 15 minutes to walk in from the car park
- 90 minutes to walk through the castle interior
- 30 minutes to walk around the lake in the bottom of the castle
- 15 minutes to walk out
- 30 minutes to browse the souvenir shops
You might want to add another hour to just sit in the park and chill out, or to grab some lunch. There are a couple of take away food places amongst the souvenir shops.
Bran Castle as a Must See Destination
Overall Bran Castle is deserving of its reputation as the Number One Castle in Transylvania. As a result we thoroughly enjoyed Bran Castle and all it’s 14th century authenticity. It truly is a dazzling medieval castle, perhaps one of the most beautiful castles in Europe.
Bran Castle does offers fairly easy access to the exterior, but the interior tour is not suitable for visitors with mobility problems. Overall we thoroughly recommend you visit this castle as a must-see attraction in Romania. Probably best to avoid peak hour and choose a quiter time to visit.
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