The main purpose of the construction of the castles, which were massively built in Transylvania in the 14th century (more than 100 castles were created in total), was to stop the invasion of the Ottoman Empire. Meaning “gate” in Romanian, “Bran” was intended to house a military garrison to repel possible assaults. Built in the 14th century, the castle continued to develop getting more and more towers almost until the end of the 17th century. Gradually, it became an impregnable 4-level citadel. If enemy soldiers had broken into Bran Castle, they would surely have been entangled in a series of corridors, secret rooms, and labyrinths of underground passages.

As the castle attracts lots of tourists, it is better to come to Bran Castle before its opening. So that you can easily find a parking spot, reserve a place in a ticket office queue and wander around in search of the best point to take pictures. Unfortunately, the inaccessibility of Bran Castle (it stands on a cliff) does not allow you to take a photograph of the entire building. All the photo postcards are made from the top of the hill opposite.

Having lost its military significance, the impregnability of the castle was useful for hiding the private life of high-ranking persons.

For several months, Bran Castle was home to Vlad the Impaler (also known as Vlad Dracula). In 1918, the inhabitants of Brasov gave the castle as the present to the British princess Marie of Romania. Today, Bran Castle belongs to her grandson, Dominic von Habsburg.

All the original furniture from the castle was brought to the museums of Bucharest and replaced by analogs of that era. The castle houses a museum of history and medieval art, displaying collections of weapons, armor, paintings, and household items from the 14th-15th centuries. The rooms and corridors of Bran Castle are narrow, so the tourists move only in one direction. It helps to avoid a stampede in small premises. Taking the elevator down to the underground labyrinth is available at extra cost. The exit from it leads directly into a large store, where Count Dracula is replicated on dozens of various souvenirs. We recommend buying Dracula wine (it is only sold there), and a local farm product called “cheese in birchbark.” You can find it in the large market outside the castle gates.