Bran Castle

Bran Castle is a large castle built in the historic historic Transylvania region in Romania. It was constructed upon the ruins of a former Teutonic fort. The large fortification took more than a decade to complete during the fourteenth century. It was intended to serve as a customs point for goods entering and leaving Transylvania. However, the structure also served as a fortification to protect Transylvania from the Ottoman Empire.

Bran Castle was repeatedly used in military conflicts. However, when the Transylvanian border was moved during the nineteenth century and the region eventually became part of the modern nation of Romania, the castle lost much of its military and economic significance. Bran Castle retained much of its administrative prestige despite this change. The castle was renovated, then saw use as a tourist destination. Many people visit the castle for its historic significance. Others visit the location because of its association with Bram Stoker’s famous vampire story, Dracula.

Background

Castles were large, fortified structures built throughout the Middle Ages. In most cases, castles were constructed by rulers. The imposing profile of a castle showed the power and wealth of the local lord to subjects and potential invaders. Additionally, castles provided a safe and strategically efficient place to retreat in case of invasion. Most castles were designed to withstand sieges for long periods of time. They could be defended from large armies with a proportionately smaller number of soldiers. For this reason, castles were typically built in strategically important locations.

Traditionally, castles featured several types of fortifications. They were surrounded by walls and towers, making it difficult for invaders to gain access to the interior buildings. A fortified gate was used as the main entrance to the castle. In most cases, the gate could be locked from the inside. It sometimes featured barbicans, structures designed to protect large gates. A large tower called a keep was located within the walls. The keep included additional layers of fortifications, and served as the final point of retreat within the castle.

Some castles were surrounded by a carefully constructed trench filled with water. This trench was called a moat. Moats were built to stop invading armies from reaching the walls of the castle. A drawbridge allowed people to cross the moat, but could be raised from the inside to keep the enemy from reaching the gate.

Castles were expensive and difficult to build. They required expert craftsmen, reliable crews of laborers, and significant amounts of raw materials, as well as advanced knowledge of architecture and geometry. The construction of castles was a process that often took years to complete. For this reason, leaders carefully selected the locations of any castles they chose to construct. Castles built near quarries and forests were cheaper to construct because raw materials were close at hand. Additionally, some castles were constructed on top of older Roman fortifications, which reduced the time and money necessary to build the new structure.

Overview

The origins of Castle Bran date back to 1211, when the Teutonic Knights were granted a region on the southeastern border of Transylvania. They built a fort to help them defend Transylvania against foreign invaders. However, the Knights were driven out of the region in 1226. In 1377, the Hungarian King Luis the Great instructed the people of Brasov to construct a castle. They used the foundations of the old Teutonic fort.

Construction of Bran Castle took more than ten years to complete. In 1388, the castle was opened for use as a customs house. It held a percentage of the valuable goods shipped into and out of Transylvania. It also served as a fortress, and by the 16th century took on the valuable role of protecting Transylvania’s border against the powerful and growing Ottoman Empire, a Muslim kingdom based in modern-day Turkey. For this reason, the castle was kept staffed by professional soldiers.

During the early years of Bran Castle’s service, the leader of the castle was chosen by the king. Over time, this position grew in political importance. The leader of Bran Castle was responsible for ensuring that the castle was carrying out its purpose. However, over the following centuries, the castle transferred ownership repeatedly. The princes of Transylvania maintained control of the fortification until the seventeenth century, when Transylvania became part of the Habsburg Empire.

In 1836, the border between Wallachia and Transylvania was moved away from Bran Castle. Bran was no longer a customs point, and the castle no longer protected a border. Though Bran Castle had lost most of its practical significance, the fortress remained a symbolically important location. It underwent renovations throughout the nineteenth century, and much of the damage the castle had taken in sieges and from weather was repaired. During the twentieth century, many of the castle’s fifty-seven rooms were renovated and redecorated, while the castle served as the official residence of the queen of Romania.

Bran Castle is located in a scenic area of Transylvania. Its towers offer views of the surrounding mountains and cliff face. It is located directly between the Bucegi Mountains and the Piatra Craiului Mountains. For this reason, the castle is commonly visited by tourists seeking to appreciate both the surrounding landscape and the castle’s historic significance. The castle also functions as a museum. It hosts collections of historic weapons, clothing, and furniture, spread over four floors of exhibits.

Many tourists visit Bran Castle because of its association with the famous Bram Stoker novel Dracula. In the story, a terrible vampire lives in a castle in a mountainous region of Transylvania. The vampire in Dracula was based on the ruler Vlad the Third of Wallachia. Vlad the Third, also known as Vlad the Impaler, was known for his brutal treatment of prisoners, though remains a folk hero in Romania due to his successful defense against Ottoman invasions. Many legends state that Vlad the Third was briefly imprisoned in Bran Castle. For this reason, Bran Castle is sometimes nicknamed Dracula’s castle.

Bibliography

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“Historical Timeline.” Bran Castle, 2009, www.bran-castle.com/historical-timeline.html. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“Inside the Fortress Known as ‘Dracula’s Castle.’” National Geographic, 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/europe/romania/dracula-castle-things-to-do-brasov-transylvania/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

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“Romania: Did Dracula Ever Set Foot In Dracula's Castle?” Radio Free Europe, 2006, www.rferl.org/a/1068701.html. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“The Real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler.” LiveScience, 2017, www.livescience.com/40843-real-dracula-vlad-the-impaler.html. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.