Bran Things to Do

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If your in or near Bran, Romania, you should definitely stop to see the famous Bran Castle. It really is like no other. The furniture and decorations inside the castle are the bare minimum, so it was not built for impressing people. Everything inside- the staircases, balconies, fireplaces, and rooms- is still very unique compared to other castles. From the outside, it is a very beautiful castle and provides many great views of the mountains. It is a must-visit place in Romania.

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Anyone coming to Bran (unless they live there) is coming to see the castle. It is skillfully marketed as Dracula's Castle to attract tourists and it works. it was a busy place. Although the castle actually has little to do with Dracula it is well worth visiting.

The castle was built between 1377 and 1382 by the Saxons of Brasov to protect their trade route with Wallachia.

The castle is open May to Oct: Mon - noon -6pm, Tues-Su 9am -6pm; Nov-April Tues-Sun 9am - 4pm. Entry is 10 Ron for adults.

The castle's most famous resident was Queen Marie of Romania a granddaughter of Queen Victoria who married Prince Ferdinand of Romania in 1893. She was a much loved monarch.

The castle is built around a central courtyard with a little wishing well. It is a beautiful building with furnished rooms, spiral stairs, secret passages and good views.

Get to Brasov by bus from bus station number 2 in Brasov. It should cost 6RON.

Bran Castle, better known as Dracula's Castle, does not need any more presentation...
What I can say is that the position "above" the valley is amazing.

Probably the link below will help you find more information about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle

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It's the only thing to see in town, and I think Dracula stayed here once, but really it's just a small castle owned by the Habsburgs. The most interesting aspect of the castle is how its history charts the complex ethnic make-up, and relationships that this region has had with its neighbours over the years. It was built on the orders of the Hungarian king, while sitting on his throne in Bratislava, Slovakia, and built in Romania by German settlers.

After communism ended in Romania they gave back the nationalised properties to their former owners. For the people of Romania this was a good thing. But I can't understand why they gave back this castle back to a bunch of bloodsucking (in the figurative sense) Austrian royals whose ancestors stole everything they inherited anyway.

It is hard to get a good shot of the outside of Bran Castle from the grounds of the castle as it is mainly blocked by trees. We got some good shots by exiting the castle, passing the market, going left and left again past the bus stop down the hill past some restaurants, over a little bridge and into a field with an old tower. When you cross the field and look back, you have a good view of the castle.

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We visited Bran Castle and were dissapointed. No mention of Vlad Tepes, the legendary Dracula, or any Count. An innkeeper told us about a place called Count's Challenge Park where the purported ''Tomb of the Count'' is located and a small theme park has been built around it. This was the most memorable experience we had in Transylvania and provided us what we were looking for. It is very close to the Castle perched on a hill with breaktaking views. We saw live shows where good knights do battle with vampire knights and fair maidens dance. Their is a medieval village that is recreated with constant reanactment. Kind of like a Rennasiance Fair. We ate some good food while the kids learned to be knights.
Last but not least we saw the tomb or home shall we say of the legendary Count.
If you come all the way to Transylvania... don't miss the place where all the legends come from!

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THE thing to do when you are in Bran is to visit Bran Castle. It is the most famous castle in Romania and one of the best known in Europe. A wooden fortress was built here by the Teutonic Knights in 1212. This was destroyed by the invading Mongols in 1242. The first written record of of the current stone Bran Castle is an act issued by King Sigismund of Hungary in 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braşov) the right to build a castle. The structure we see today was largely built by the Saxons from 1382 onwards.

The castle's main function was to be a defensive stronghold against the invading Turkish armies. It later also became a customs post controlling the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. In 1920, the people of Brasov gave the castle, as a gift, to the Romanian royal family. It became the principal home of Queen Marie and later of her daughter, Princess Ileana. It was seized by the communists, who expelled the royal family in 1947. In 2006, the Romanian government returned the castle to Archduke Dominic of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, son and heir of Princess Ileana, who promptly put it up for sale.

Bram Stoker allegedly used Bran Castle as his model for Dracula's Castle. Bran Castle has featured in several film adaptations of "Dracula," and has consequently become known as "Dracula's Castle."

My impression of it was that it was quite a small castle, both inside and out. I think that it must have been quite a cold and cramped home for a royal family: certainly nowhere near as comfortable as Peles Castle. I can see how on a grey winter's day, when the hordes of tourists aren't there, it could seem like the archetypal Dracula's Castle. Inside, however, it still seems like the family home of Queen Marie and Princess Ileana, with their furnishings and pictures everywhere.

Visiting hours: 1st of May - 1st of October: 9am-6pm, 1st of October - 1st of May: 9am-4pm

Admission: 10 lei

Often claimed to be Dracula's dwelling this 800 year old castle is situated just outside Brasov. No matter if you believe it once belonged to Vlad Tepes or not you should still consider a trip there if you are in the area. The castle has a lot of history and atmosphere and is worth the effort.
Do prepare though to share the experience with a lot of other people. It's known to attract a lot of tourists.