Bran Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bran Castle |
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Bran Castle
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| Alternative names | Dracula's Castle |
| General information | |
| Type | Fortress |
| Architectural style | Medieval |
| Location | Bran, near Brașov, Transylvania |
| Address | Str. G-ral Traian Mosoiu, nr.24, Bran |
| Country | Romania |
| Coordinates | 45°30′54″N 25°22′02″E / 45.51500°N 25.36722°E |
| Elevation | 2,500 feet (760 m) |
| Owner | Archduke Dominic of Austria-Tuscany |
Bran Castle is a famous castle in Bran, Romania. It is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Brașov. People often call it Dracula's Castle because of the stories.
The castle was built in 1377 by the Saxons. These were German settlers who lived in Transylvania. They got permission from King Louis I of Hungary to build it. Bran Castle is a very important national landmark in Transylvania. It sits on the border between Transylvania and another historical region called Wallachia.
Even though it's known as Dracula's Castle, there's no real proof that the author Bram Stoker knew about this specific castle. Also, the castle in his book Dracula looks very different from Bran Castle. The real Vlad the Impaler, who inspired the Dracula character, didn't spend much time here.
Today, Bran Castle is a museum. It shows off art and furniture that belonged to Queen Marie. Visitors can explore the castle on their own or with a guide. There's also a small open-air museum nearby. It displays old Romanian peasant homes and tools from the Bran area.
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History of Bran Castle
Early Wooden Castle
In 1212, a group called the Teutonic Knights built a wooden castle here. They named it Dietrichstein. It was a strong point in the Burzenland region. This area was important for traders traveling through a mountain pass. However, the Mongols destroyed this wooden castle in 1242.
The name Dietrichstein likely came from a leader named frater Theodericus. He was a commander of the Teutonic Order. He probably helped build the first castle.
Building the Stone Castle
The first official mention of Bran Castle was in 1377. King Louis I of Hungary gave the Saxons from Brașov permission to build a stone castle. They had to pay for it and build it themselves. A town called Bran then grew up around the castle.
From 1438 to 1442, the castle helped defend against the Ottoman Empire. Later, it became a customs post. This meant people had to pay taxes there to cross the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. Unlike many castles owned by nobles, Bran Castle was built mainly for defense. It protected the German settlers in Transylvania.
Some historians believe Mircea the Elder, a ruler of Wallachia, briefly controlled the castle. He may have set up the customs point. Vlad the Impaler, another Wallachian ruler, didn't play a big part in the castle's history. He passed through the area sometimes, but the fortress was not under his control.
Over time, Bran Castle belonged to the Hungarian kings. But in 1533, the city of Brașov got it back. This happened because King Vladislaus II of Hungary couldn't pay back his loans. In 1530, an army from Wallachia tried to capture the castle. But soldiers led by Dénes defended it successfully. Bran Castle was important for military defense until the mid-1700s.
Royal Home and Modern Times
After World War I, in 1920, Hungary lost Transylvania through the Treaty of Trianon. Bran Castle then became a royal home in the Kingdom of Romania. The Saxons of Brașov gave it to the royal family. They no longer needed it and couldn't afford to fix it up.
The castle became a favorite place for Queen Marie. She had it greatly renovated by architect Karel Zdeněk Líman. Her daughter, Princess Ileana, inherited the castle. She even ran a hospital there during World War II. In 1948, the communist government took the castle when the royal family was forced to leave.
In 2005, a Romanian law allowed people to claim back properties that were taken illegally. So, in 2006, the castle was given back to Archduke Dominic of Austria. He is a grandson of Princess Ileana.
On May 18, 2009, the castle's management was officially given to Archduke Dominic and his sisters. On June 1, 2009, they opened the castle to the public. It became the first private museum in Romania. They worked with the village of Bran to keep the castle a popular tourist spot.
"Dracula's Castle" Myth
Many stories link Bran Castle to the Dracula myth. However, most historians agree that Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad III Dracula, never truly lived in Bran Castle. It was not a place he controlled or visited often. Some once thought he was imprisoned there in 1462. But historians now believe he was held in a fortress in Budapest.
Bran Castle and Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bran Castle is not mentioned in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. The way Stoker describes Dracula's castle in the book also doesn't match Bran Castle at all. The idea that Bran Castle is "Dracula's Castle" is mainly for tourism.
When Stoker was researching Transylvania, he learned about Vlad III. He used the name Dracula after reading about him. But his character was not based only on the real Vlad III. The strong connection between Vlad III and the Dracula character is mostly because of American movies.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Bran para niños
- Castles in Romania
- Poenari Castle, a real castle ruin linked to Vlad the Impaler
- Peleș Castle
- Corvin Castle
- Tourism in Romania
- Seven Wonders of Romania
