Bran Dracula Castle, Romania

The Bran Castle or commonly known as the Dracula's Castle is a medieval castle located near Bran in the Carpathian Mountains, Transylvania, Romania. The castle became famous for being allegedly used by Bram Stoker as his model for the Dracula's Castle although Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Dracula) never lived in the Bran Castle as it is today widely believed.

The Bran Castle was originally built as a stronghold by the Teutonic Knights in 1212 but the castle was first mentioned in written sources in 1377 in an act issued by Louis of Hungary giving the Saxons of Brasov the privilege to built a castle as a defence against the Turks. After the completion the Bran Castle became the property of the Hungarian royalty which appointed the lords of the castle. Besides playing an important role in a defense against the Turkish invasion the Bran Castle served also as a custom point. At the end of the 15th century the castle passed to the Wallachian ruler Mircea cel Batrân (Mircea the Elder) and his descendants as a result of his good relationship with the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg and their common interests against the Ottoman Empire. Because his descendants disrespected the commercial privileges granted to the people of Brasov and because of the persistent Turkish attacks the Hungarian King in 1426 entrusted the Bran Castle to the Prince of Transylvania with right to appoint the lord of the castle.

In 1498 the people of Brasov achieved an agreement with the Hungarian King who agreed to give the Bran Castle to the people of Bran with right of usage for 10 years. In 1508 was that agreement prolonged for 20 years. The castle remained the possession of the city of Brasov even after 1541 when Transylvania became an autonomous principality under Ottoman suzerainty. At the beginning of the 17th century the Bran Castle was temporarily occupied by the Prince of Transylvania, Gabriel Bathory but in 1613 the people of Brasov regained the property rights over the castle and in 1651 bought the castle with a purchase and sale agreement signed between Prince of Transylvania, Gheorghe Rackoczi and the city of Brasov.



At the end of the 17th century Transylvania became integrative part of the Austrian Empire but the city of Brasov retained its property rights over the Bran Castle but its former importance began to decline. In 1877 the castle was occupied by the Austrian army but in 1888 it was returned to the city of Brasov which shortly afterwards donated it to the Forestry Administration from Brasov which owned the castle until 1918. In 1920 the Bran Castle became the residence of the Romanian royal family which stayed there until the expulsion by the Communist regime in 1948. The Bran Castle was confiscated by the state which in 1956 opened it to the public as a museum of history and feudal art. Between 1987 and 1993 was the castle renovated and is today open for the public.