Vlad Tepes, nicknamed Dracula, is the famous Romanian prince of the 15th century, who, not without the efforts of Bram Stoker, gained a mystical reputation among the people. They talked about the "devilish" nature of the prince even during his lifetime - most often this could be heard from foreign ill-wishers.
And in our time, the image of Dracula is usually associated with the Bran Castle, located near the Romanian city of Brasov on a high rock. This sinister structure attracts millions of tourists every year, many of whom come here hoping to meet the ghost of a bloodthirsty prince.
Local residents are vying with each other to convince the guests that a ghost really lives in the castle, and in one of the nearby villages they even show the house in which the vampire prince allegedly stayed. In fact, the Bran Castle Vlad Tepes never visited. It is only known that he sometimes hunted in the surrounding forests. The widespread legend that the Turks were allegedly tortured in the castle of a captive prince is also not true.
Yes, and Dracula was not a vampire, and his despotism was combined with a love of justice. The prince severely punished bribe officials, dishonest merchants, unfaithful wives and cowardly warriors, and, on the contrary, often provided support to the poor and disadvantaged.
The nickname "Dracula" he inherited from his father - Vlad II, who also wore it; it came from the Order of the Dragon, in which Vlad the elder was and whose emblem he had on his relics.
The idea of Vlad Tepes as a vampire is a modern fairy tale, the task of which is to attract more tourists. In local markets, you can see hundreds of T-shirts, dishes and other souvenirs with a portrait of Vlad Dracula. Such products are in endless demand.
Bran Castle itself was founded in the XIV century at the expense of the inhabitants of Brasov and was intended, of course, for defense. For this construction, the then ruler exempted the residents of the city from taxes. The location of the castle only emphasizes its protective function - it rises on a sheer cliff, no less terrifying than the building itself. However, the castle is beautiful at the same time. Inside the castle there is a whole labyrinth of corridors and halls.
This architectural monument itself keeps many mysteries that are not related to the image of the aforementioned Dracula. For example, a well in the courtyard: it is believed that it leads to underground rooms.
The current owner of the castle is Dominic Habsburg, a descendant of Queen Mary and the medieval Romanian rulers. This castle was presented to the Queen by the inhabitants of Brasov as a token of special gratitude in 1918. The transfer of the castle to the current legal owner took place recently - in 2006.
