Castle Bran, Bran Romania Draculas Castle (but not really)

Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle, is a medieval fortress located in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, near the border with Serbia. It is a popular tourist destination, known for its association with the legend of Count Dracula. The castle is located in the town of Bran, which is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the city of Brașov.

The castle was built in the 14th century by the Teutonic Knights, and it was later used as a fortified border outpost by the Transylvanian Saxons. The castle is a large, imposing structure that sits on a hilltop overlooking the village of Bran. It has several towers, a drawbridge, and a courtyard, and it is surrounded by a fortified wall.

In 1920, the castle was inherited by Habsburg princess Marie, who was an daughter of Queen Elizabeth of Romania. She opened the castle for the public, and it was transformed into a museum of medieval art and weaponry.

Bran Castle is often associated with the legend of Count Dracula, a vampire from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula". Although Stoker never visited Romania, he based the character of Count Dracula on the historical figure of Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, who was Prince of Wallachia (a region in Romania) in the 15th century. Vlad was famous for his cruelty, and he is said to have impaled thousands of his enemies on wooden stakes. The Bran castle is often linked to Vlad the Impaler, despite the fact that Vlad probably never lived there, but visited in multiple ocassions.

Bran Castle is one of the most famous and popular tourist attractions in Romania. It is a great place to visit if you are interested in the history and legends of Transylvania, and it offers a unique glimpse into medieval life and culture in Romania.