Bran Castle

Bran Castle is a medieval fortress located in Bran, about 25 kilometres southwest of Brașov. The Saxons of Brașov built the stone castle in 1377 after receiving permission from King Louis I of Hungary. The fortress stands on the Transylvanian side of the historic border with Wallachia and is now a national monument. Marketed abroad as “Dracula’s Castle,” it is presented as the home of Bram Stoker’s fictional character, although there is no evidence that Stoker knew about the castle and its connection to Vlad the Impaler is tenuous. Today the castle houses a museum with art and furniture collected by Queen Marie, and at the foot of the hill there is an open-air museum showcasing traditional peasant structures.