Mad for Vlad at Bran Castle!

This evening was one of the definite highlights of the trip – a private excursion for just our train group to visit the famous Bran Castle which would also include dinner within the castle walls!!   It was about a half hour drive out of Brasov, so we headed there directly after our city tour.   Everyone was very excited – its such an iconic destination, one which almost single-handedly evokes the romanticism and mysteriousness of Transylvania!  Would it be as sinister and creepy-looking as Dracula’s castle is portrayed in all the movies?  Would we feel inexplicable dread as we entered into its depths?   A freeform foreboding filling every fiber of your being?

Actually, no.  It was a delightful castle.  Not in the least scary – not one little bit.  No, sirreeeee.  Not even the assortment of torture instruments in one of the labyrinthine rooms in the top turret could dull my sense of tranquility.  And certainly not the discovery of the Vampire himself, who we eventually found nesting in his coffin in another small room.  Even Vlad the Impaler, who welcomed us to his castle with a glass of bubbles in the courtyard, seemed perfectly nice, so I really don’t know what people are going on about when they say he was a bloodthirsty psychopathic torturer.  Sometimes, you’re just aching for a stakin’…. railin’ for an impalin’ – you know?  I think he was just misunderstood.

Before we proceed further, though, we do need to, sadly, clear up any misconceptions that you might have.  While those canny Romanians leverage the connection between Bran Castle, Vlad the Impaler and Dracula to lure in the tourist trade (of our own free will, bwah ha haaaa ….) – in reality, the links are tenuous at best.  Firstly, vampires are not real.  Secondly, Bran Castle was built by the Saxons in 1377 (and in later years was used as defense against the Ottoman empire). It is actually privately owned now (by descendants of the former royal family) and is rented out as a museum and event space.   Though many myths have been connected to him and Dracula, most historians agree that Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, never lived in Castle Bran as it was neither a friendly place for him to visit nor under his rule. It was once believed that he was imprisoned there after he was captured by the Hungarians in 1462, but historians now conclude that he was imprisoned in a fortress in Budapest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle 

Bran Castle is not mentioned in the novel Dracula, and there is no evidence that Stoker ever visited either Transylvania or Bran Castle. Furthermore, the novel’s description of the castle does not match Bran Castle. The claimed connection between the castle and the Dracula legend is tourism-driven.  Just in case you are unfamiliar with Dracula, Bram Stoker or Vlad the Impaler (in which case, you should really probably read more books), then here’s a quick cheat sheet below which summarizes Everything You Need to Know.  You’re welcome.

Summary of Dracula

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Bram Stoker. The story follows Count Dracula, a centuries-old vampire from Transylvania, as he attempts to move to England to spread the undead curse and find new blood. The novel is presented as a series of journal entries, letters, and newspaper articles, primarily following:

• Jonathan Harker, a solicitor who travels to Dracula’s castle and becomes his prisoner;

• Mina Murray (later Harker), Jonathan’s fiancée;

• Lucy Westenra, Mina’s friend who falls victim to Dracula;

• Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a Dutch doctor and vampire hunter.

The group of protagonists unites to hunt down Dracula, eventually tracking him back to Transylvania and destroying him, ending his threat.

Themes include fear of the foreign/unknown, sexuality, Victorian gender roles, and the clash between modern science and ancient superstition.

Dracula’s Connection to Vlad the Impaler

Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler (or Vlad Dracula), was a 15th-century prince of Wallachia (part of modern-day Romania). He was infamous for his brutal methods of punishing enemies, particularly impalement. His father was known as Vlad Dracul, meaning “Vlad the Dragon” (from his membership in the Order of the Dragon), and Vlad III’s nickname “Dracula” roughly translates to “son of the dragon” or “son of the devil.”

Bram Stoker likely borrowed the name “Dracula” from Vlad III after encountering references in a history book while researching Eastern European folklore. However, there’s no strong evidence that Stoker based Count Dracula’s personality or life story directly on Vlad. The link is mostly nominal and thematic:

• Both are associated with Transylvania.

• Both inspire fear and legends of bloodshed.

• Both are surrounded by myth and mystery.

In popular culture, the two figures have often been conflated, and many modern retellings portray Dracula as a supernatural version of Vlad the Impaler.

In short: Dracula is a fictional vampire tale with Gothic and psychological depth, while Vlad the Impaler was a real, brutal historical ruler. Stoker used Vlad’s name and some background flavor, but the vampire Count is largely a literary invention.

OK – now we are clear on all that, back to our evening.  It really was fabulous – particularly because our group had the castle all to ourselves, so we could explore a bit after dinner without having to fight through the hordes that I’m sure are there during the day.  On our program, it had said “Dinner within the Castle Walls” so I assumed we’d be shuttled off to some purpose-built anonymous dining hall built for tourists  within the castle grounds – but, to my delight, we actually had dinner inside the castle itself!!  You can see where in the video below – it was fantastic!  The only downside was the person I was sitting next to at dinner was Seriously Hard Work – and I think I’ll revisit a statement I made earlier.  Vampires do actually exist as I had the misfortune to sit next to an Energy Vampire who sucked the life and joy out of everything within a meter radius of him.  You know some people have resting bitch face?  This guy had resting “I Fucking Hate You and the Entire World” face – really quite intimidating to be near (and you know I don’t scare easily).  But I did my best not to let that small negative take away from the unique awesomeness of the evening – I simply excused myself from the table as early as I could and went off to explore the castle (fortunately, ManpanionTM was on the other side of me, so at least one side of my body was still bathed in the warmth of human kindness).

Just off from the dining room was a large balcony, which looked down to the courtyard below (where we’d been welcomed earlier with drinks) and leading off the balcony were multiple walkways and flights of stairs, one staircase leading to the uppermost level of the castle.  Up there, there was the torture room that I mentioned beforehand, as well as various supernatural exhibits – it wasn’t anything too spooky – but it did still have a warning posted to the wall, suggesting that it might not be suitable for young children.  We ignored it and went in anyway.

By the time dinner was finished and we’d had some additional time to explore the castle, it was dark and so it was a little more treacherous to leave than it had been to come in (the aforementioned steps were not terribly well lit in places).  But everyone seemed to make it out in one piece – and no-one seemed to have any mysterious puncture wounds on their necks, so the evening was a glorious success!  I’d had high hopes from Bran Castle – and it certainly delivered!!  I hope you enjoy the videos and pictures and that it gives you at least a taste of the experience (a little bite, as it were).  Next up, our adventure in Romania continues with a visit to birthplace of Vlad Dracul, the medieval town of Sighisoara.