Is there a Draculas Castle somewhere in Romania?”
I took this picture of Bran Castle on July 3, 2008, while visiting Romania. Dracula, of course, is a fictional character from the famous novel by 19th century novelist Bram Stoker. Vlad Tepes ’the Impaler’, ruling prince of Wallachia from 1456-62 and 1476-77, was the inspiration for Stoker’s vampire prince. Bran Castle, however, was not actually the residence of Vlad Tepes, though it is said that he spent two days locked in the dungeon while the Ottomans controlled Transylvania. In the early 20th century, the castle was the residence of Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938). Bran Castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. Bran Castle should not be mistaken for the actual Castle Dracula (now in ruins), which is located on the Arges River, at a more secluded site.
