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. Searching for ghosts inside of Bran Castle. After 1918, Transylvania became part of Greater Romania. From well-known monuments like Bran Castle to smaller castles that once belonged to the local aristocracy, the hundreds of castles of Transylvania tell a story of their own rise and decay, often directly connected to the troubled history of Romania. Discover its story and doors, for Norm’s last Thursday Doors.. Legend says that the Doors to Heaven are here, in Bucegi Mountains, near Bran Pass and Ialomița Cave. Bran Castle – Between Myth and History, Mountains and Valleys. The Queen’s favourite, according to a statement from Balchik on June 29, 1933. After 1945, the hospital continued to treat people wounded and maimed in the war and the population of the region. Everybody knows something about Dracula, the renowned character from Bram Stocker’s book, a book that had a remarkable echo. A guide to Bran Castle, Dracula’s Castle History of Bran Castle . The Castle deterioration led to its closure in 1987 and was reopened only in 1993. Medieval Bran Castle, located at historical Bran Pass, is a fortress turned legend yet its door had been kept under key for centuries. 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. It was turned into a museum featuring pieces of royal heritage and medieval … 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. Medieval Bran Castle, located at historical Bran Pass, is a fortress turned legend yet its door had been kept under key for centuries. 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. These factors define its place in the evolution of the human community. On November 19, the office of the Hungarian King Louis the Great – Louis I of Anjou – issued a document granting to the people of Brasov (“Kronstadt” – The Crown’s City) the privilege of building a castle. The original wooden fortifications in Bran were destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. Ileana moved via Switzerland and Argentina to the United States in 1950, together with her six children: Stefan (born 1932), Maria-Ileana (born 1933), Alexandra (born 1935), Dominic (born 1937), Maria – Magdalena (born 1939) and Elisabeth (born 1942. The Castle was given as fief (“property given in return for loyalty”) by Sigismund of Luxembourg to his ally, Prince Mircea, the Elder of Wallachia, where he could escape to in case of an attack by the Turks. The name Bran Castle is almost synonymous with count Dracula. During 1920 the castle became a royal residence. The strategic reasons underlined by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire which, … After the Dracula film was released, it became a worldwide attraction. Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle): History - See 5,871 traveler reviews, 9,214 candid photos, and great deals for Bran, Romania, at Tripadvisor. Bran Fortress was built in the 14th century so as to protect the border between the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia from Ottoman raids. Throughout the following years, the castle fell into decay. Bran is the fictional setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. 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. The purpose of this gift was to establish the Teutons in the area and to defend the Southeastern border of Transylvania from the Cumans and the Pechenegs. Vlad gained power over Romania, but the people of Transylvania were not happy. This inventory clearly reflects the small number of defenders in the Fortress, … Extensive restoration work was carried out. Toss in a vampire legend, and the rest is history. Bran Castle was transformed by the communist authorities into a museum. Before the famous Irish writer made Bran castle famous through the character of Dracula, Bran castle has undergone several stages of history : ,,Since the 14th century, the Saxons from Brasov received permission from the king to build a << new city >> on the steep cliff which guards the valley, in the customs area. 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.. In her grave was placed a small box containing earth from the foot of Bran Castle, collected when she was exiled. In 1388, the castle’s construction was complete. But in 1948 the royal family was exiled by the communist regime, leaving Bran Castle unoccupied. From here, Vlad … It is the perfect setting for a vampire-lord. A combination of medieval strategy, local construction and creative ingenuity has blended to create an icon of Romanian culture: strong, resilient and proud. A true legend, a huge potential!! However, it couldn’t withstand the Mongols invasion and it was destroyed in 1242. Every historical episode is characterized by certain factors that function as a constant, such as time and space. 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. The King’s treasury was previously emptied due to war expenses. This castle is called Terchvar (Bran).” On July 15, 1575, as mentioned in another document, Ioannes Fux was sent to Bran Fortress on a mission to fortify and guard the Gorge. The Archduchess continued the planning for the castle's future. Bran Castle is a scenic place to visit with a fascinating history but let’s face it, there’s one main thing that puts it on the map. 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. 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. The Brasov inhabitants also took on the castle’s profit-making customs as part of the lease. Bran Castle History. Bran Castle only became known as 'Dracula's Castle' due to the extraordinarily similar description of the castle by Stoker, not because it had any actual connection to a real-life bloodsucker. From afar, we can readily spot the tumbledown ruins of Castell Dinas Bran. Shortly after this, Queen Marie moved in, claiming it as her home and retreat. 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. She also turned the area around the castle into an English park complete with ponds and a tea house. Bran Castle is a fortress that was constructed in the Medieval Times. 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. It served well as a custom point in and out of Transylvania and was used as a fortress in an attempt to stop the Ottoman Empire’s expansion. Bran Castle – between myth and history A visit to Bran Castle. Due to the myth, Bran is one of the most famous castles in South Eastern Europe. The Castle was built on a steep cliff between Măgura and Dealul Cetăţii (“fortified town’s hill”), with an exceptional view of the nearby hills, Moeciu Valley and Valea Bârsei. Other buildings were erected: a guesthouse, a wooden church, staff housing, stables and garage. 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. Commanding a strategic crossroads for hundreds of years, Bran Castle in Romania is an impressive medieval fortification and popular tourist attraction. Though Bran Castle is not the ‘real’ Dracula’s Castle, it is still an impressive site to visit. Later on, the new stone castle became a customs post besides its role to protect the Transylvanian province from an Ottoman invasion. 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