The novel
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published in 1897. Its castle stands high above a Transylvanian pass, and Stoker built his picture of the region from books and maps rather than from a visit.
The castle on the rock
Bran’s towers, steep roofs and position above the road through the mountains match the image many readers carry from the novel. That resemblance, more than any documented event, made it Dracula’s Castle for visitors.
Vlad III and Bran
Vlad III of Wallachia, the ruler whose name Stoker borrowed, belongs to the wider history of the region, but there is no firm evidence that he lived at Bran. Inside, the castle tells the story of the fortress and of Queen Marie’s home.
