Bran Castle

Bran Castle (German: Trzburg; Hungarian: Trcsvr), situated near Bran and in the
immediate vicinity of Braov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The
fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73.
Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle" (although it is one among several locations
linked to the Dracula legend, including Poienari Castle and Hunyad Castle), it is
marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is,
however, no evidence that Stoker knew anything about this castle. Furthermore, there are
persistent myths that it was once the home of Vlad epe, ruler of Wallachia. This is not
true. The historical person Vlad III never resided there.
The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by
Queen Marie. Tourists can see the interior individually or by a guided tour. At the bottom
of the hill is a small open air museum park exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant
structures (cottages, barns, etc.) from across the country.
In 1212 the Teutonic Knights built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified
position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain valley through which traders had
travelled for more than a millennium, although it was destroyed in 1242 by the Mongols.
The first documented mentioning of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis I of Hungary
on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braov) the privilege to build the
stone citadel on their own expense and labor force; the settlement of Bran began to
develop nearby. The castle was first used in 1378 in defence against the Ottoman Empire,
and later became a customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and
Wallachia. The castle briefly belonged to Mircea the Elder of Wallachia. While Vlad
epe did not actually live in the Bran Castle, it is believed he spent two days locked in
the dungeon while the Ottomans controlled Transylvania.
From 1920 the castle became a royal residence within the Kingdom of Romania. It was
the principal home of Queen Marie, and is decorated largely with artefacts from her time,
including traditional furniture and tapestries that she collected to highlight Romanian
crafts and skills. The castle was inherited by her daughter, Princess Ileana, and was later
seized by the communist regime after the expulsion of the royal family in 1948.
In 2005, the Romanian government passed a special law allowing restitution claims on
properties such as Bran, which was seized by the Communist government of Romania in
1948. In 2006, the Romanian government awarded ownership to HI&RH Prince Dominic
of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria, known professionally as Dominic von Habsburg, an
architect in New York State and the son and heir of Princess Ileana.
In 2007, Prince Dominic put the castle up for sale for a price of 40 million ($78
million).On July 2, 2007, Michael Gardner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Baytree Capital, the New York investment firm which has been retained to create a plan
for the castle and to sell it, predicted it would sell for more than $135 million, but added

that Prince Dominic will only sell it to a buyer "who will treat the property and its history
with appropriate respect."
In September 2007 an investigation committee of the Romanian Parliament stated that the
retrocession of the castle to Prince Dominic was illegal, as it broke the Romanian law on
property and succession.[5] However, in October 2007 the Constitutional Court of
Romania rejected the parliament's petition on the matter. In addition, an investigation
commission of the Romanian government issued a decision in December 2007
reaffirming the validity and legality of the restitution procedures used and confirming that
the restitution was made in full compliance with the law.
On January 26 2009 it was revealed that the family had decided not to sell the castle, but
instead turn it into a museum dedicated to the legend and history of Dracula.

Castelul Bran (n german: Trzburg; maghiar: Trcsvr), situat n apropiere de Bran i

n imediata apropiere de Braov, este un monument national si punct de reper n
Romnia. Cetatea este situata la granita dintre Transilvania i ara Romneasc, pe
DN73. Cunoscut sub numele de "Castelul lui Dracula" (dei este unul dintre mai multe
locuri legate de legenda lui Dracula, inclusiv Poienari Castelul i Castelul Corvinilor),
este comercializat ca acas de personajul titular n Bram Stoker's Dracula. Exist, totui,
nici o dovad c Stoker a tiut nimic despre acest castel. n plus, exist mituri persistente
c a fost odata casa lui Vlad epe, domn al Tarii Romanesti. Acest lucru nu este
adevrat. Persoana istoric Vlad III locuit niciodat acolo.
Castelul este acum un muzeu deschis turitilor, afiarea de art i mobilier colectate de
Regina Maria. Turistii pot vedea interiorul individual sau de ctre un tur cu ghid. n
partea de jos a dealului este un mic muzeu deschis parc de aer care prezint structuri
traditionale ranului Romn (cabane, hambare, etc) din ntreaga ar.
n 1212, Cavalerii Teutoni a construit castelul din lemn de Dietrichstein ca o poziie
fortificate din Tara Barsei, la intrarea ntr-o vale de munte, prin care comercianii au
cltorit mai mult de un mileniu, dei a fost distrus n 1242 de ctre mongoli. Prima
atestare documentar a Castelului Bran o reprezinta actul emis de Ludovic I al Ungariei
la 19 noiembrie 1377, oferind saii din Kronstadt (Braov) privilegiul de a construi cetate
de piatr pe propria cheltuial, i forei de munc; de soluionare a Bran a nceput s se
dezvolte n apropiere. Castelul a fost folosit prima dat n 1378 n aprare mpotriva
Imperiului Otoman, i mai trziu a devenit un post vamal in trecatoarea dintre
Transilvania i ara Romneasc. Scurt castelul a aparinut lui Mircea cel Btrn din
ara Romneasc. n timp ce Vlad epe nu a locuit efectiv n Castelul Bran, se crede ca
el a petrecut doua zile blocate n temni, n timp ce otomanii controlate Transilvania.
Din 1920 castelul a devenit resedinta regala n Regatul Romnia. Acesta a fost acas
principal al Reginei Maria, n mare msur i este decorat cu obiecte din timpul ei,
inclusiv mobilier traditional si tapiserii c ea colectate pentru a evidenia meteuguri
romneti i a competenelor. Castelul a fost motenit de fiica ei, Principesa Ileana, iar
mai trziu a fost confiscate de ctre regimul comunist, dup expulzarea a familiei regale
n 1948.
n 2005, guvernul romn a adoptat o lege special care s permit cererilor de retrocedare
pe proprieti, cum ar fi Bran, care a fost confiscate de guvernul comunist din Romnia n
1948. n 2006, guvernul romn a acordat dreptul de proprietate la HI & RH Prinul
Dominic de Toscana, arhiducele de Austria, cunoscut profesional ca Dominic von
Habsburg, un arhitect din New York de stat i fiul i motenitorul a Principesei Ileana.
n 2007, Prinul Dominic pune castelul n vnzare pentru un pre de 40 milioane (78
milioane dolari). La data de 02 iulie 2007, Michael Gardner, Presedinte si Chief
Executive Officer al Baytree Capital, New York, ntreprinderea de investiii care a fost
reinut pentru a crea un plan de castel i s-l vnd, a prezis ca va vinde pentru mai mult
de 135 milioane dolari, dar a adugat c Prinul Dominic va vinde doar la un cumprtor
", care va trata proprietatea i istoria sa, cu respectul cuvenit."
n septembrie 2007, o comisie de anchet a Parlamentului romn a declarat c
retrocedarea castelului la Prinul Dominic a fost ilegal, deoarece a nclcat legea romn
privind proprietatea i succesiunea [5] Cu toate acestea,. n octombrie 2007, Curtea
Constituional din Romnia a respins de parlament petiie n acest sens. n plus, o
comisie de anchet a guvernului romn a emis o decizie n decembrie 2007, reafirmnd

valabilitatea i legalitatea procedurilor de restituire utilizate i confirmnd c retrocedarea

a fost fcut n deplin conformitate cu legea.
n 26 ianuarie 2009, a fost dezvluit c familia a decis s nu vnd castelul, ci-l
transforme intr-un muzeu dedicat istoriei i legenda lui Dracula.