Bran Castle is the number one tourist attraction in the area – possibly in the whole of Romania. Therefore, it should be considered a must-see sight. Because of these reasons, everyone else feels the same – so it can get super busy!
Beware this plot-spoiler however – The castle is often described as Dracula’s Castle, which it’s not for the following reasons;
- Dracula was fictional
- The story’s writer, Bram Stoker, never visited Romania – though he may have gained inspiration from seeing an image of the castle
- Vlad Tepes (Vlad The Impaler), upon who it is reputed the story is based, only had a small affiliation with the castle
Ignoring all of the above, Bran Castle is still something that is well worth seeing.
Once parked up, you enter into an array of souvenir and snack stalls of differing quality. Once through this, you purchase your ticket 40 Lei (£7.58 / $9.32), then climb the slope towards the castle. Depending upon your luck you may not need to queue before entering. Note that the rooms in the castle are small, and can get crowded. Our advice would be to avoid the weekends and to arrive close to opening time.
Once inside the castle, you have to follow the prescribed route. When quiet this guides you nicely through the building, however, when busy you can often encounter pinch-points when the sheer mass of visitors is too much for the narrow access ways.
A castle was first erected on the rocky outcrop at the beginning of the 13th-century. This would have been a wooden construction and was destroyed by Mongol invaders in the middle part of that same century. This setback did not deter subsequent builders, however, as the site of the castle is of such strategic importance – guarding as it does one of the key mountain passes in the region.
Royal accent to build a castle was provided to the residents of Brasov in 1377, and eleven years later the castle was completed. In addition to its military significance, the castle also acted to guard the trade route through the valley, and to control customs operations. Various other building work was undertaken on the castle over time, including the complete renovation of the northern tower in the 1720s.
The building we see today, however, is mostly influenced by significant renovation and rebuilding that occurred between 1920 and 1932. This work was undertaken at the behest of Queen Maria of Romania, who had the castle transformed into a royal summer residence. Her influence is the most notable in the castle, with many of the rooms showing the furnishings from her day, or displaying her clothes and artefacts.
Despite the large crowds, Bran Castle is certainly worth a visit. The castle, perched on its outcrop of rock, looks like one out of a fairy tale, and the internal rooms are also lovely to behold. One particular highlight is the beauty of the inner courtyard, which is nestled within the high walls and towers.
