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Top 8 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Bran Castle You Never Knew!

illustration of bran-castle
"Venture into the enchanting world of Bran Castle, where myth and history intertwine, as we divulge some captivating fun facts that will leave you spellbound!"

1. Fang-tastic Rents

Bran Castle, home to everyone's favorite fang-tastic vampiric landlord, is notorious for spiked rent – it's impale-atively high! Now for the bitter blood truth: Although not directly linked to Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Bran Castle's haunting ambiance and association with Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), who was rumored to be imprisoned there, have secured it a place in vampire lore and earned it the illustrious title of "Dracula's Castle."
Source => brancastletours.com

2. Impaled in Dracula's Castle

Feeling a bit Impaled?: Bran Castle, famously labeled as "Dracula's Castle," wasn't actually owned by Vlad III Dracula, but interestingly enough, the notorious bloodthirsty ruler did end up staying there in the 15th century – as a prisoner of the Hungarian army, of all things!
Source => trafalgar.com

3. Treasure Hide-and-Seek

When Bran Castle needed to take its treasure game to the next level, it did so by drilling new heights (or, rather, depths) in hide-and-seek: Bran Castle's courtyard well, carved into solid rock during the 14th century, conceals a secret chamber just above the waterline, perfect for stashing the castle's riches during times of invasion.
Source => brancastletours.com

4. Castle's Royal Makeover

Bran Castle's Vampire Academy: Less blood-sucking, more royalty strutting! The castle, often linked to Dracula, has no proven connection to Bram Stoker's creation. Instead, it was a royal residence within the Kingdom of Romania, gifted by Saxons of Kronstadt-Braşov, hosted a WWII hospital run by Princess Ileana, and now stands as a museum showcasing Queen Marie's art and furniture collection under the ownership of the Habsburg family.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Vlad's Mountain Prison

5. Vlad's Mountain Prison

Feeling a little "Impaled" by misconceptions? Fear not, for the truth shall set you free: Bran Castle, commonly dubbed "Dracula's Castle," was never actually home to the infamous Vlad Dracula Impaler; however, Vlad did have a brief stint as a prisoner in the neighboring Piatra Craiului Mountains due to some Saxon rival schemes, as documented in a found chronicle in Brasov town, Romania.
Source => ezinearticles.com

6. Dracula's Airbnb Nightmare

Fang-tastic Real Estate Opportunity: Did you know that back in 2007, Archduke Dominic Habsburg and his family decided to sink their teeth into the lucrative world of property sales and listed the blood-chilling Bran Castle, known for its connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula, at a spine-tingling nine-figure euro price? However, the Romanian government had other plans, continued to operate it as a museum, and managed to hold onto their lease, leaving the castle to pillage the hearts (and wallets) of about 450,000 visitors a year as a historical landmark.
Source => reuters.com

7. Short Stays for Spike Lovers

Once upon a spike, in a land where "sticking around" took on a whole new meaning, a cruel prince inspired a bloodthirsty tale we can't seem to let go of: Bran Castle, situated in modern-day Romania, was once home – albeit briefly – to none other than Vlad the Impaler, the gruesome inspiration for Count Dracula himself. Though not the castle's owner, Vlad used it strategically in the 15th century as a military fortress, and even enjoyed a less-than-cozy two-month stay as a prisoner courtesy of a rival Hungarian king.
Source => usatoday.com

8. Can't Stick Around for Long

Believe it or not, Vlad the Impaler couldn't really "stick around" at Bran Castle, despite its reputation as his fanged crib: The infamous inspiration for Dracula never lived in Bran Castle but only spent a short stint as a prisoner there, before being whisked away to another jail near Budapest.
Source => travelnotesandbeyond.com

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