Bran Fortress was built in the 14th century so as to protect the border between the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia from Ottoman raids. Perched up on a cliff, surrounded by forests and shrouded in myth and legend, Bran Castle is one of the most picturesque fortresses in Europe, with a history spanning six centuries. The museum had three departments: the Castle – which contained pieces of royal heritage; the medieval customs; and Ethnography – that included traditional houses in the park near the castle. The History of Bran Castle. Every historical episode is characterized by certain factors that function as a constant, such as time and space. Its privileged location, in the Bran-Rucar Gorge, one of the most important passages of the Carpathian mountains, gave it a key strategic role. Later on, the new stone castle became a customs post besides its role to protect the Transylvanian province from an Ottoman invasion. Read more, The region between Bucegi and Piatra Craiului has sparked a series of historical episodes, from prehistoric days until current times, all due to one major geographical and historical factor: the Bran Gorge. Vlad the Impaler burned the city’s suburbs and murdered hundreds of Saxons from Transylvania, provoking the Saxon community to seek revenge by later mentioning in reports that the Voivode were a tyrant and extremely ruthless. Bran Castle (Romanian: Castelul Bran; German: Schloss Bran; Hungarian: Törcsvári kastély) is a castle in Bran, 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Brașov.It is a national monument and landmark in Romania.The fortress is on the Transylvanian side of the historical border with Wallachia, on road DN73. Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle): Great history - See 5,874 traveler reviews, 9,313 candid photos, and great deals for Bran, Romania, at Tripadvisor. Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle): Great history - See 5,874 traveler reviews, 9,314 candid photos, and great deals for Bran, Romania, at Tripadvisor. Searching for ghosts inside of Bran Castle. The building of the fortress was imposed by strategic and economic reasons. Bran Castle quickly became a favorite of hers and she restored it for use as a summer residence by her family. Bucharest, Romania 3 contributions. A combination of medieval strategy, local construction and creative ingenuity has blended to create an icon of Romanian culture: strong, resilient and proud. After the Vienna Award, when Romania lost the South Danube territories, Queen Marie’s heart that had been in the Stella Maris chapel of the Balchik’s palace on the Black Sea, was brought in its sarcophagus to Bran. In 1212, Teutonic Knights built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain valley through which traders had travelled for more than a millennium, but in 1242 it was destroyed by the Mongols. The original wooden fortifications in Bran were destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. Bran Castle was actually built in 1378 and does offer exceptional view of the nearby hills. In 1212, the Teutonic Order built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain pass through which traders had travelled for more than a millennium. Legend and reality come together at the castle, which stands tall on the hillside showing its dominance. What people don’t actually know is that Bran Castle is the place that inspired the writer. Bran Castle’s History. I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Romania. It houses many artifacts that represent life in Romania, both around the time it was built and for the royal family. Extensive restoration work was carried out. However, in the fall of 1462, after the army of the Hungarian king, Matei Corvin, captured Vlad Tepes nearby the fortress of Podul Dambovitei, near Rucar, it appears that Vlad was taken to Bran Castle and locked up there for two months. A combination of medieval strategy, local construction and creative ingenuity has blended to create an icon of Romanian culture: strong, resilient and proud. On May 18, after several years of legal proceedings, the castle was legally returned to the heirs of Princess Ileana of Romania and Archduke Anton of Austria. Bucharest, Romania 3 contributions. The first fortress had been erected probably by Teutonic Knights. A true legend, a huge potential!! Bran Castle - History (I) BRAN CASTLE (1377-1920) The Bran fortress was built on a cliff between Magura and The Hill of the Fortress, its position conferring an outstanding view towards both the hills of Moeciu and the ones from the Land of Bârsa. The Castle was damaged over time, often by sieges and otherwise by common negligence or even by forces of nature. In 1920 the city of Brașov turned Bran Castle over to Queen Marie of Greater Romania, who restored the castle as a royal summer residence and lived there both before and after the death, in 1927, of her husband, King Ferdinand I. She died shortly after, on January 21, 1991, and was buried in The Orthodox Monastery of Transfiguration Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, which she founded and of which she was the abbess. Discover this enchanting region and the reality and myth of Dracula legend. Despite the thousands of visitors and hundreds of articles and papers written about it, the castle kept its secrets, over the centuries. She also turned the area around the castle into an English park complete with ponds and a tea house. Facts about Bran Castle 7: the first quote about Bran Castle. What people don’t actually know is that Bran Castle is the place that inspired the writer. However, back in the ’80s the castle was quite unknown, with few visitors. The sarcophagus containing the heart was placed into a crypt chapel carved into the rock across the valley from the Castle. It is also called Dracula’s Castle and it is situated at the entrance of Bran-Rucar pass. In September 1990, Princess Ileana, who since 1961 lived in a convent and was ordained as Mother Alexandra, visited Bran Castle and witnessed the damaged buildings and loss of some of the inter-war construction. From 1920 until 1932, the Castle was converted into a royal summer residence, coordinated by the Czech architect Karen Liman, who designed the castles Peles and Pelisor. Vlad gained power over Romania, but the people of Transylvania were not happy. The building of the fortress was imposed by strategic and economic reasons. Vlad gained his reputation as ‘the Imapler’ when he plundered Saxon villages and took the captured people to Wallachia where he had them impaled. Bran Castle, The Royal Residence of Romania. After extending the castle’s lease with the Princes of Transylvania several times – even after the Ottoman conquest of the Hungarian kingdom in 1541 – Brasov managed on April 25, 1651 to sell the castle to George II Rackoczi. History of Bran Castle. From a fortress to a castle to a royal residence and a communist holding, Bran Castle has remained a towering example of Romanian fortitude and heritage, bringing in 500,000 visitors a year. After the death of the Romanian Prince in 1419, due to the political instability of Wallachia, Sigismund took over the castle and entrusted it to the Princes of Transylvania. SHARE ON: Anda Galffy — September 15, 2016. History of Bran Castle . From here, Vlad … The castle was inhabited by professional soldiers, mercenaries, and the storyteller Ioan de Târnava, wrote about “the English brigands and ballista soldiers” of the fifteenth century. An elevator was installed into the well shaft to provide easy access between the castle and the park for the Queen suffering from arthritis. Everybody knows something about Dracula, the renowned character from Bram Stocker’s book, a book that had a remarkable echo. He was a vicious ruler, had a killer moustache and may have never even stepped foot inside Bran Castle. Although Transylvania became part of the Habsburg Empire since 1687, the promises offered by the Princes of Transylvania, including the 1651 sale of the castle, were reconfirmed by the Leopold Diploma. Though Bran Castle is not the ‘real’ Dracula’s Castle, it is still an impressive site to visit. A true legend, a huge potential!! Wordsworth also visited Dinas Bran, lamenting the castle's fate as follows: "Relics of kings, wreck of forgotten wars, To the winds abandoned and the prying stars." However, Vlad’s history and the stories of Dracula have tied Vlad and Bran Castle together forever. Read more, After 1918, Transylvania became part of Greater Romania. Other buildings were erected: a guesthouse, a wooden church, staff housing, stables and garage. The first pages in the history of Bran Castle were written in distant past of the early 13-th century, when invited by Hungarian king Andrew II, the Teutonic Knights appeared in in south-eastern Transylvania tasked with protecting the kingdom borders against invasion of combative peoples of the Pechenegs and the Cumans. But this medieval fortress does have a dark history. The Princess Ileana built a hospital in Bran, she named it “the Hospital of the Queen’s Heart”, which serviced the treatment for wounded soldiers from Brasov after the Red Cross hospital was bombed by American aircrafts. In 1932, the castle added a hydroelectric power plant on the stream Turcu, to light the castle but was also connected to the towns of Bran, Simon and Moeciu. On December 1st 1920, the citizens of Brașov, through a unanimous decision of the city’s council, led by Mayor Karl Schnell, offered the castle to Queen Maria of Romania, In 1723, renovation was completed on the northern tower of the castle, as mentioned in an inscription. From a fortress to a castle to a royal residence and a communist holding, Bran Castle has remained a towering example of Romanian fortitude and heritage, bringing in 500,000 visitors a year. The main reason for foreign tourists choose to visit Bran Castle is the legend that was created around it. History. During 1920 the castle became a royal residence. Toss in a vampire legend, and the rest is history. Bran Castle originally dates back to the year 1212, where it was constructed on the site of a Teutonic Knights stronghold, and the first time it was documented was in November 1377, after an act was issued that allowed the Saxons of Kronstadt, or current day Brasov, with permission to construct the citadel. Shortly after this, Queen Marie moved in, claiming it as her home and retreat. Bran Castle - History.
The countess displayed vampiric tendencies by drinking and bathing in the blood of young virgins in the belief she could attain eternal youth.The Bathory family ruled Transylvania as an independent principality of the Kingdom of Hungary, so she never faced trial for the murders. View the timeline, Bram Stoker’s character, Dracula, is a Transylvanian Count with a castle located high above a valley perched on a rock with a flowing river below in the Principality of Transylvania. However, the Romanian Government, through the Ministry of Culture, provisionally administered the castle for another three years. However, it couldn’t withstand the Mongols invasion and it was destroyed in 1242. You don’t need to have a major in history to love this place. In the United States, Princess Ileana provided for herself, her children and their education through proceeds from lecturing on her life, Romania and Communism. Every castle in Romania claims to be the inspiration behind the Dracula (1897) story, but Bran Castle has a compelling case to argue. Facts about Bran Castle 8: the usage of the Bran Castle. It is a national monument and landmark in Romania. It was turned into a museum featuring pieces of royal heritage and medieval … The original name of the castle was “Dietrichstein”, and it was mentioned as far back as 1212. All reviews bram stoker bran castle queen maria torture room count dracula romanian royal family audio guide interesting history souvenir shops dracula story rooms vampire furniture legend transylvania fiction tourists connection tat bucharest inspiration halloween. HISTORY OF BRAN CASTLE. In 1212, Teutonic Knights built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain valley through which traders had travelled for more than a millennium, but in 1242 it was destroyed by the Mongols. A guide to Bran Castle, Dracula’s Castle History of Bran Castle . In her grave was placed a small box containing earth from the foot of Bran Castle, collected when she was exiled. Due to the myth, Bran is one of the most famous castles in South Eastern Europe. Although Bran ceased to be a border and customs point of Austro-Hungary, the castle continued to be an administrative seat. The Castle was reopened as a museum and was reintroduced into the tourist circuit. Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tepes) was allied with Bran and Brasov during his first reign (1448) and through the start of his next reign, after the Princes of Transylvania requested that he handle the anti-Ottoman resistance at the border. Upon Queen’s death, her heart had been placed in a silver box that was placed into a precious ornate box, which were then wrapped in the flags of Romania and of her native England and then placed in a marble sarcophagus. Bran, initially a Saxon fortress. Bran (German: Törzburg; Hungarian: Törcsvár) is a commune in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania.It is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the city of Brașov and consists of five villages: Bran, Poarta (Hungarian: Porta), Predeluț (Kispredeál), Șimon (Simon) and Sohodol (Szohodol).. For 30 years, the castle fell into decay – it was inhabited, up to 1918, by the foresters, woodsmen and forest inspectors coming from Brasov. The 57 meter deep well of the castle gave insufficient water; therefore water was piped to the castle from natural springs situated across the valley. Bran Castle - History (I) BRAN CASTLE (1377-1920) The Bran fortress was built on a cliff between Magura and The Hill of the Fortress, its position conferring an outstanding view towards both the hills of Moeciu and the ones from the Land of Bârsa. The castle, which was originally built in the 1200s by Knights of the Teutonic Order, has an incredibly rich, interesting, and dark history… Aside from the intersection in history and fiction of the bloodiest Romanian ruler that makes this castle the most famous tourist attraction in Romania, the structure has its fair share of interesting facts that would make anyone want to see it for themselves. The Teutonic Knights – “Ordo domus Mariae Sanctae Theutonicorum Hierosolimitanorum” – a catholic religious order formed in Palestine during the late twelfth century by German crusaders, received Țara Bârsei (“Terra Borza” or “Burzenland” – a country named after the Cuman tribe of Burci) from King Andrew II of Hungary. History of Bran Castle. Aside from the intersection in history and fiction of the bloodiest Romanian ruler that makes this castle the most famous tourist attraction in Romania, the structure has its fair share of interesting facts that would make anyone want to see it for themselves. Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle): History - See 5,871 traveler reviews, 9,214 candid photos, and great deals for Bran, Romania, at Tripadvisor. Bran Castle: Caught Between Legend and History From its foundation on the naked rock near the riverbed, the fortress of Bran rises majestically above the valley. By 1836, Bran Castle lost its military and commercial importance, after the border between Transylvania and Wallachia was moved to the mountains, at Pajura. This is affirmed in the recent volume Vlad The Impaler – Dracula, published by the Mirador Printing House, Arad, 2002, authored by Gheorghe Lazea Postelnicu. Firstly, because the fortress was placed at the crossroads of trade routes. The castle also underwent reconstruction during the reign of Gabriel Bethlen (1613 – 1629), when the gate’s tower, the round tower and the donjon were all renovated. Ten years after the communist regime in Romania, Bran Castle was opened as a museum of history and feudal art. It has ties to Vlad the Impaler who was once the ruler of Wallachia, a region in Romania. From 1920 until 1932, the Castle was converted into a royal summer residence, coordinated by the Czech architect Karen Liman, who designed the castles Peles and Pelisor. This inventory clearly reflects the small number of defenders in the Fortress, … Bran Castle’ History . But in 1948 the royal family was exiled by the communist regime, leaving Bran Castle unoccupied. Bran Castle was transformed by the communist authorities into a museum. In 1388, the castle’s construction was complete. Iancu, Prince of Transylvania, who needed the support of the Saxons at the border, reinforced the promises granted to the inhabitants of Brasov by Mircea the Elder and by Sigismund. Bran Castle: Caught Between Legend and History From its foundation on the naked rock near the riverbed, the fortress of Bran rises majestically above the valley. Best castle in Europe. Bran Castle – between myth and history A visit to Bran Castle. Through this document, the Saxons of Transylvania (“Sachsen” – a population of German origin that came to Transylvania in the twelfth century), from the region encompassing Brasov, were urged to participate in the building of Bran Castle, which was previously named “Dietrichstein” or “Törzburg” in German, “Törcsvár” in Hungarian, and “Turciu” in Romanian. Bran Castle History. That way, you can sit back and enjoy the scenery rather than worrying about driving. The castle is beautiful and contains some amazing history. When you say Bran Castle, Romania, the first thing that comes to mind is Dracula. Traian Mosoiu 24, Bran Nearest large towns: Brasov (18 miles NE), Predeal (20 miles E), Sinaia (32 miles SE) Nearest train stations: Predeal and Brasov Telephone: +4 0268 237.700 E-mail Bran Castle Hours & Admission. Our very own Bran Castle tour Bran Castle History. After 1918, Transylvania became part of Greater Romania. Bran Castle - History (I) BRAN CASTLE (1377-1920) The Bran fortress was built on a cliff between Magura and The Hill of the Fortress, its position conferring an outstanding view towards both the hills of Moeciu and the ones from the Land of Bârsa. The Queen’s favourite, according to a statement from Balchik on June 29, 1933. Turned into a museum during communist times and recovered by the children of Princess Ileana in the 21st century, Bran Castle managed in just a few years to become a highlight of Romania’s castles. On June 1, 2009, the Castle fully re-entered the possession of its legal heirs, Archduke Dominic, Archduchess Maria Magdalena and Archduchess Elisabeth. The area around the Castle was turned into an English Park with two ponds and a Tea House. Bran Castle originally dates back to the year 1212, where it was constructed on the site of a Teutonic Knights stronghold, and the first time it was documented was in November 1377, after an act was issued that allowed the Saxons of Kronstadt, or current day Brasov, with permission to construct the citadel. Before you visit, just remember that its real story has nothing to do with Dracula, but everything to … From afar, we can readily spot the tumbledown ruins of Castell Dinas Bran. Bran Castle. She also built the castle’s principal modern outbuilding, the Tea House, which later became a restaurant. The Bran castle was built in the 14th century, a stronghold to protect the villagers and landowners of the plains beyond the Bucegi Mountains, although it is most famous for being the location of the famous vampire, Dracula. It served the role of customs – holding 3% of goods transferring in and out of Transylvania – and the role of a fortress – the castle stood at the Eastern border of Transylvania and was used in an attempt to stop the Ottoman Empire’s expansion. The lord of the castle was elected by the King, usually from among the Saxons, and whose role was increasingly important in the history of Transylvania. On December 1st 1920, the citizens of Brasov, through a unanimous decision of the city’s council, led by Mayor Karl Schnell, offered the castle to Queen Maria of Romania, who was described in the deed as “the great queen who (…) spreads her blessing everywhere she walked, thus wining, with an irresistible momentum, the hearts of the entire country’s population”. The strategic reasons underlined by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire which, … by Rebecca Tucker Posted on 02 October 2017. Bran Castle (Romanian: Castelul Bran; German: Schloss Bran; Hungarian: Törcsvári kastély) is a castle in Bran, 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Brașov.It is a national monument and landmark in Romania.The fortress is on the Transylvanian side of the historical border with Wallachia, on road DN73.. If you’re interested in the Romanian history and you’re intrigued by the story behind the legend of Vlad Țepes (Vlad the Impaler), commonly known as Dracula, you have to visit the famous Bran Castle. Toss in a vampire legend, and the rest is history. During his second reign (1456 – 1462), however, his army passed through Bran in early 1459 to attack Brasov, in order to settle a conflict between the Wallachia Voivode and the Saxons, who requested higher customs taxes and supported his opponent for the throne. Princess Ileana and her family were forced to leave the country by the newly installed communist regime. Mihai T wrote a review Jan 7.