Bran Castle

From Free net encyclopedia

Bran Castle near Brasov in Transylvania is a national monument and landmark of Romanian tourism. It is after a description of this castle that Bram Stoker fashioned Dracula's castle, and therefore the castle is sometimes referred to incorrectly as Dracula's Castle.

The castle is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia and is famous mostly because it is said to have been the home of Vlad the Impaler; however, there is no physical evidence that Vlad ever lived there. According to most accounts, the Impaler spent two days there, in the dungeon, as the area was occupied by Ottoman Turks at the time.

The castle is open to tourists, who can view the inside alone or as part of a guided tour. Outside the castle are examples of old-style Romanian cottages, where visitors can see how Romanians used to live.

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