Dracula Castle in Transylvania, Bran Castle Romania trip plannig info

Bran (Dracula's) Castle - Transylvania Romania

Bran/ Dracula Castle in Transylvania, photo © Dorin Balate

Dracula Castle fast facts

Location: Southern Transylvania
village Bran, Str. Traian Mosoiu 24
Year built: 1388
# of rooms: 57
Nearest city/ towns:
Brasov (18 miles NE), Predeal (20 miles E), Sinaia (32 miles SE)
Bran (Dracula) Castle Hours & Admission

Perched high atop a 200-foot-high cliff, and surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets as well as to the myth created around Bram Stocker's Dracula.
Built on the site of a Teutonic Knights stronghold dating from 1212, Transylvania's best-known castle was first documented in an act issued on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build a Citadel at the border between Transylvania (central Romania) and Walachia (southern Romania).
Bran castle's narrow winding stairways lead to 57 timbered rooms, some connected by secret passages, which house collections of furniture, weapons and armor dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

Day-trip: Bucharest to Peles and Bran castles and Old Town Brasov
Itinerary: Bucharest — Sinaia — Bran — Brașov — Bucharest
More information and reservations

Although Bram Stoker - the author of novel Dracula - never visited Transylvania, the Irish writer relied on search and his vivid imagination to create the dark and intimidating land of Count Dracula, and leading to persistent belief that it was once the home of Vlad Draculea II - Tepes (the Impaler), ruler of Walachia. While the association with prince Vlad Draculea is not very strong, Bran castle continues to hold a strong attraction for all the fans of the Count.
Bran castle overlooks the village of Bran and the open-air Ethnographic Museum consisting of old local-style village houses complete with furniture, household objects and costumes.

Bran/ Dracula Castle Courtyard, photo © Dani Toma

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How to reach Bran Castle, in Transylvania

Guaranteed-departure Tour, from Bucharest

Day-trip: Bucharest to Peles and Bran castles and Old Town Brasov
Itinerary: Bucharest — Sinaia — Bran — Brașov — Bucharest
More information and reservations

Travel to Bran Castle using public transportation

There is frequent direct train and bus service from Bucharest, Sinaia and Sibiu to Brasov and to Predeal.
The nearest train stations to Bran are: Brasov (19 miles northeast) and Predeal (20 miles east).
To check schedules please visit RomaniaTourism domestic transportation section.

Reaching Bran castle, by train or bus, from Bucharest, Sibiu and Sinaia:

Departing from	Train	Bus*
Brasov	-- Brasov and Predeal are the nearest train stations to Bran ---	bus: Brasov to Bran (45 minutes)
Bucharest, via Predeal	train: Bucharest to Predeal, (1 hour and 55 minutes) --- taxi: Predeal to Bran, (35 minutes)	bus: Bucharest to Predeal, (one hour and 55 minutes) --- taxi: Predeal to Bran, (35 minutes)
Bucharest, via Brasov	train: Bucharest to Brasov, (2 hours and 30 minutes) --- bus: Brasov to Bran 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)	bus: Bucharest to Brasov, (2 hours and 30 minutes) --- bus: Brasov to Bran 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)
Sinaia, via Predeal	train: Sinaia to Predeal, (25 minutes) --- taxi: Predeal to Bran, (35 minutes)	bus: Sinaia to Predeal, (40 minutes) --- taxi: Predeal to Bran, (35 minutes)
Sinaia, via Brasov	train: Sinaia to Brasov, (one hour and 10 minutes) --- bus: Brasov to Bran 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)	bus: Sinaia to Brasov, (65 minutes) --- 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)
Sibiu, via Brasov	train: Sibiu to Brasov, (three to four hours) --- bus: Brasov to Bran 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)	bus: Sibiu to Brasov (two hours and 45 minutes) --- bus: Brasov to Bran 1 hour and 30 min (includes transfer to bus terminal)

* Estimated travel time if normal traffic conditions, during weekends expect traffic heavier than normal.

From Brasov, visitors can reach Bran by bus or by private car/ taxi.
Buses from Brasov to Bran leave from Brasov bus terminal # 2 (Autogara 2 - Codreanu).
Frequency: every 45 to 60 minutes, approximate travel time to Bran is 45 minutes.
Local buses 23, 23B and 25 connect Brasov Train Station with Autogara 2, bus terminal

Travel from Bucharest or Sinaia to Bran, via Predeal - instead of Brasov -, will be at least one hour and 30 minutes faster. However, there is no bus service from Predeal to Bran; the only option is travel by private car/ taxi.
Taxi companies based in Predeal include:
Taxi Predeal:    (+4) 0799 419.517
Taxi Eny:    (+4) 0722 229.449
Taxi Paul:    (+4) 0724 881.195

Reaching Bran Castle by car

Car is the fastest way to reach Bran castle, from Brasov, Predeal, Sibiu and Sinaia.

Road distance and travel time to/ from Bran

Departure town	Distance	Travel Time*
Brasov	19 miles	30 minutes
Bucharest	120 miles	2 hours and 45 minutes **
Predeal	20 miles	40 minutes
Sibiu	95 miles	2 hours and 30 minutes
Sinaia	32 miles	one hour

* Normal traffic conditions
** Travel from Bucharest to Bran can take more than four hours on Fridays (afternoon) and Saturdays.
Travel from Bran to Bucharest can take more than four hours on Sundays (afternoon).

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Bran/ Dracula Castle at night, photo © Marius Hardulea

Attractions near Bran Castle

Rasnov Fortress (7 miles NE);
Dino Park Rasnov (8 miles NE)
City of Brasov (18 miles NE);
Peles Castle - Sinaia (35 miles SE);
Ski towns Poiana Brasov (10 miles E) and Predeal (15 miles SE);
Sighisoara UNESCO medieval citadel (90 miles north)
City of Sibiu (95 miles west);
Bucharest (120 miles south).

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Bran Castle timeline

1212
Teutonic Order builds a wooden fort at the north end of Rucar – Bran mountain pass that connects historical provinces Walachia (southern Romania) and Transylvania (central Romania). Bran is Slavonic for “gate”.

1245
Fort Bran is destroyed by the Tatars.

1377
King Louis the Great – Louis I of Anjou grants Saxons of Kronstadt (modern Brașov) the privilege to build a stone castle.

1388
Bran castle construction is complete. All funds needed for construction of the castle were provided by citizens of Kronstadt. Bran was built for protection, to stop the Ottoman Empire’s expansion, not as a royal residence.

1407
King Sigismund of Luxembourg offers Bran Castle, as fief, to his ally, Prince Mircea „the Elder” of Wallachia.

1419
Following the death of prince Mircea, Wallachia is marked by political instability; Bran castle is entrusted – at times leased - to the Princes of Transylvania.

15th and 16th centuries
Bran castle is inhabited by professional soldiers and mercenaries and used in defense against the Ottoman Empire. Bran also serves as an important trading and customs post, on one of the mountain passes that connect Transylvania and Wallachia.

1442
Bran castle withstands a siege from Ottoman forces.

1456 – 1462
Wallachian ruler Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler) passes several times, with his army, through Bran Gorge on his way to Brasov to raid the city and punish the Saxons who imposed higher customs taxes for Walachian merchandise and supported his opponent for the throne. Vlad the Impaler burns Brasov’s suburbs and kills hundreds of Saxons, in battle. Vlad’s cruelty determined the Saxons to potray him as „a tyrant and extremely ruthless”.

1593
A powder mill explosion shatters parts of the castle.

1617
Severe storm destroys the roof of the castle.

1620s
Gate’s tower, the round tower and the donjon are renovated.

1723
Northern tower of the castle is renovated.

1836
Bran Castle looses its military and commercial importance, and ceases to be a customs point but continues to be an administrative seat.

1883 – 1886
Damages done to the castle during the 1848 Revolution and the 1877 Russo-Turkish war are repaired. Extensive restoration work is carried out.

1888
City of Brasov transfers the castle to the region’s forestry department; foresters, woodsmen and forest forest inspectors, coming from Brasov, live in the castle. 30 years of neglect follow and the castle falls into decay.

1920
Citizens of Brasov offer Bran castle, as a gift, to Queen Maria of Romania, “... the great queen who spreads her blessing everywhere she walks, thus wining, with an irresistible momentum, the hearts of the entire country’s population”. (excerpt from the donation deed, approved unanimously by Brasov City Council).

1920 – 1932
Bran Castle becomes a favorite residence of Queen Maria. Architect Karen Liman is hired to refurbish castle’s 57 rooms and transform the property into a royal summer residence. During renovation an old (false) fireplace was moved and a secret passage (escape stairway) was discovered; it connected the first floor to the third floor and used in emergencies.
Water provided by castle’s 188 ft. deep well was insufficient; a water pipe is installed to supply running water from nearby natural springs.

1932
A hydroelectric power plant is built to provide electricity for the castle and for neaby villages Bran, Simon and Moeciu.
A guesthouse, a wooden church, staff quarters, stables and a garage are also built.
The area around the Castle iss turned into an English Park with two ponds and a Tea House.
An elevator was installed into the well shaft to provide easy access between the castle and the park, for the Queen suffering from arthritis.

1938
Queen Maria of Romania dies and Bran Castle was bequeathed to her daughter Princess Ileana, spouse of Archduke Anton of Austria.

1944
Princess Ileana transforms Bran castle into a hospital and cares for patients as a nurse herself.

1948
Newly installed Communist regime forces Princess Ileana and her family to leave Romania.

1956
Bran Castle is transformed, by the Communist authorities, into a museum.

1987
Communist authorities start ample restoration works.

1993
Restoration works are completed and Bran Castle museum is re-opened.

2006
Bran castle is restituted to Princess Ileana of Romania son, Dominic von Habsburg and becomes a private museum.
Bran is today Romania’s most popular museum and a (not only Halloween) much-sought functions and party venue.

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