Catherine's Gate (Romanian: Poarta Ecaterinei) in Brașov, Romania, was built by the Tailors’ Guild, in 1559 for defensive purposes instead of an old gate destroyed by a flood in 1526. It is named after St. Catherine's Monastery that was situated here in former times. It is the only original city gate to have survived from medieval times. In fact the central tower is only a part of the original gate; documents talk about the existence of a wooden structure which was demolished in 1827. The original structure can be seen at the Weaver's Bastion where the large model of Brașov in 1600 is displayed.
Old documents mention it under the name of Porta Valacce, the Vallah's Gate because it was the only entrance for the Romanians living in Șcheii Brașovului. They were not allowed to use the other four entrances. During the Saxon rule of the 13th to 17th century Romanians were forbidden from owning property inside the fortress walls and such they settled outside the wall in the neighborhood named Șcheii Brașovului. Romanians could only enter the town at certain times and had to pay a toll at the gate for the privilege of selling their produce inside the citadel.
The four small corner turrets (also seen in other Transylvanian towns) symbolize the fact that the town had judicial autonomy, and the "right of sword" (ius gladii), which was the right to decide on capital punishment. Above the entrance the tower bears the city's coat of arms, a crown on an oak tree trunk and roots.
At the present time Catherine's Gate houses a museum.

Catherine's Gate

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Located within walking distance of the Blacksmiths' Bastion on a rock hill Warthe, Black Tower dominates Brasov Şcheii with its dimensions, it must prevent the enemy from the walls near the town, there were more than 5 m of rock (only in 1819 - 1820 passage was widened).
Occupying an area of 50 square meters, the tower is 11 m in height, and measured based on its walls two meters thick. Drawing with six goals on each side of it, arranged in three lines of attack. The interior has three floors and galleries, more recently, the tower have a liaison with the city by a bridge that left up to the Blacksmith's Bastion.
No longer retain the original roof, was destroyed by lightning on 23 July 1559, and the fire of 1689 - have blackened walls of the tower and gave the name today. He was destroyed by lightning in 1696, but was restored as of 1735 shows an engraving print.
On the night of 3 to 4 July 1991, the southern wall of the tower collapsed after a downpour. Restoration took place in 1996 but barely. Today the museum has a point.
https://www.directbooking.ro/

Black Tower (Brașov)

Cetățuia de pe Strajă a fost o fortificație importantă de apărare, situată însă în afara Cetății Brașovului, cu scopul de a împiedica atacarea și mai ales bombardarea acesteia de pe înălțimile din jur. Cetățuia este situată la nord de Cetatea Brașovului (Centrul istoric al orașului), pe Dealul Straja (Dealul Cetății) între Brașovechi și Blumăna și este declarată monument istoric de importanță națională (cod LMI BV-II-a-A-11393). Cetățuia de pe Strajă nu trebuie confundată cu Cetatea Brașovului, ansamblul fortificațiilor care înconjurau actualul centru istoric al orașului.
Istoric
La începutul secolului al XV-lea, pe Dealul Straja (Martinsberg) exista doar un turn de veghe în formă de potcoavă, care a fost completat în anul 1524 cu un bastion de lemn cu patru turnuri. Turnul avea trei etaje prevăzute cu ambrazuri la etajele inferioare și cu guri de păcură la ultimul nivel.
Fortificațiile din lemn au fost distruse în anul 1529 de armata lui Petru Rareș după lupta de la Feldioara din 21 octombrie 1529, în care a învins trupele împăratului Ferdinand I de Habsburg și au fost reconstruite la mijlocul secolului al XVI-lea. În urma extinderii influenței în Transilvania a lui Ferdinand I, împărat al Sfântului Imperiu Roman, rege al Boemiei și al Ungariei, în Transilvania, contele de Arco, subalternul lui Giovanni Battista Castaldo, adjunctul militar al regelui Ferdinand, a cerut refacerea și întărirea fortificației. Astfel, turnul central în formă de potcoavă a fost extins între anii 1552-1553 cu trei turnuri mici de artilerie, asemănătoare bastioanelor. Ulterior, în anul 1611, Cetățuia a fost înconjurată cu un șanț cu apă și un val de pământ.
Ca urmare a unui incendiu din anul 1618 care a distrus schela interioară de lemn, Cetățuia a fost supusă reconstrucției în 1625 de către autoritățile principatului Transilvaniei și tot atunci a fost săpată o fântână de 25 de metri în interiorul curții, adâncită ulterior la 81 de metri, care constituia sursa de apă a Cetățuii, în caz de asediu.
În anul 1630 a început ridicarea zidurilor exterioare ale Cetățuii cu bastioane și porți de acces, lucrare terminată în 1631. Construcția avea forma de patrulater, cu bastioane în stil italian în colțuri și cu o singură intrare care se făcea printr-un pod mobil.
Ca urmare a Tratatului de la Karlowitz din anul 1699, Transilvania a trecut de la vasalitatea față de Imperiul Otoman sub stăpânire habsburgică. Brașovenii s-au revoltat împotriva noilor autorități, dar mișcarea a fost înăbușită și conducătorii ei executați. Trupele imperiale au expropriat Cetățuia, pe care au transformat-o în sediul garnizoanei austriece din Brașov și au transportat aici toate armele și munițiile orașului. În curtea castelului au mai fost ridicate și alte noi clădiri: barăci, depozite și reședința comandantului. Totodată au fost defrișate viile și livezile din jurul castelului și au fost construite fortificații exterioare suplimentare.
În anul 1773 împăratul Iosif al II-lea a ordonat renovarea Cetățuii, forma refăcută atunci fiind cea păstrată până în zilele noastre. Atunci s-a înălțat și turnul de formă hexagonală alipit potcoavei centrale, dar și construcția cu două nivele poziționată pe latura de est a nucleului fortificației.
Pierzându-și importanța ca fortificație de apărare, Cetățuia a slujit drept depozit și mai apoi drept cazarmă plăieșilor. De aceea, într-o vreme, dealul Străjii s-a numit și Dealul Plăieșilor.
După nouă ani de la ultima restaurare, Cetățuia a fost oferită orașului spre cumpărare. Pentru că brașovenii nu au dorit să o cumpere, fortificația a funcționat o perioadă ca închisoare în care au fost deținuți prizonieri turci din Războiul Ruso-Austro-Turc (1787–1792), iar pe durata epidemiei de ciumă s-a amenajat o secție specială pentru cei afectați de boală.
În timpul Revoluției de la 1848, Cetățuia în care se refugiaseră câteva sute de insurgenți, comandați de căpitanul de origine poloneză Jan Szydlowski, a fost asediată și bombardată de armata rusească chemată în ajutor de austrieci pentru a învinge trupele revoluționare. Aceștia au rezistat asediului timp de două zile cu cele patru (după alte surse, șase) tunuri dar, după ce li s-a terminat muniția și ajutorul așteptat nu a sosit, au abandonat pozițiile, au deschis poarta fortăreței și s-au predat trupelor rusești. Episodul acesta a avut și o parte umoristică, pentru că o mulțime de cetățeni ieșiseră pe promenada din fața zidurilor orașului ca la un spectacol, până când un proiectil venit din fortăreață i-a alungat de acolo înapoi în spatele zidurilor.
În timpul lucrărilor de reparații care au urmat asediului, în curtea interioară a castelului a fost construită o cisternă pentru apă, înlocuind vechea fântână.
În timpul Primului Război Mondial, în Bătălia de la Brașov din 24 septembrie/7 octombrie 1916 - 25 septembrie/8 octombrie 1916, poziția strategică a Cetățuii a jucat un rol important. În bătălia decisivă din 8 octombrie, armatele austro-ungare au înaintat spre Dealul Străjii, unde, cu prețul unor lupte grele, au cucerit înălțimile în cursul după-amiezii, trăgând de acolo cu mitraliere în trupele române din Blumăna și din zona gării orașului. Acest lucru a influențat foarte mult rezultatul bătăliei, forțele române fiind nevoite în final să evacueze Brașovul și să se retragă spre Predeal, pe vechea frontieră.
După terminarea războiului, Cetățuia a fost folosită ca închisoare militară, iar în anul 1932 a fost donată regelui Carol al II-lea.
Ca urmare a naționalizării din perioada comunistă, în anul 1948 clădirea a fost expropriată și a servit ca închisoare și stație de bruiaj pentru Securitate, iar din 1954 până în 1975 ca depozit pentru Arhivele Statului din Brașov.Cetățuia a fost apoi renovată și în anul 1981 Oficiul de Stat de Turism (ONT Carpați) a înființat aici un complex de restaurante în stil medieval. În același timp au fost create alei pavate, au fost instalate bănci și instalații de iluminat public de jur împrejurul fortăreței.
După căderea comunismului, ca urmare a privatizării ONT în 1990, Cetățuia a trecut în administrația companiei Postăvarul S.A., devenită din anul 2000 Aro Palace. În 2015, Primăria Brașov a început un proces legal pentru recuperarea Cetățuii de la SC Aro Palace SA. Ca urmare, interiorul castelului nu a mai fost vizitat din 2015, restaurantul a fost închis, iar zidurile fortăreței au început să se deterioreze.
Descriere
Cetatea exterioară, construită în anii 1630 - 1631, are forma de patrulater, cu bastioane în stil italian la colțuri. Poarta, care a fost odată un pod mobil, construită în peretele sudic pentru a comemora vizita reginei Carolina Augusta în 1817, se numește „Karolinenthorˮ. Turnul central în formă de potcoavă are trei etaje prevăzute cu ambrazuri la etajele inferioare și guri de păcură la ultimul nivel.
Cetățuia are o suprafață totală de 5.000 mp și este declarată monument istoric de importanță națională, format din Incinta bastionară (cod LMI BV-II-m-A-11393.01) și Castel (cod LMI BV-II-m-A-11393.02).}}).

Citadel Strajă

The gothic-style Evangelical Church (built in 1495) in the village of Cristian (Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Grossau in German) stands on the site of a 13th century Roman basilica.
The church is surrounded by two rows of walls guarded by five towers (all erected in the 16th-Century).
Two underground tunnels have been dug to permit villagers to flee from the fortress to the forest or to a nearby monastery, in times of siege.
One of the fortress towers was called the Bacon Tower,
as the structure was used for food storage (especially smoked bacon).
To keep the food provisions cool, throughout the summer months, villagers would fill the tower's cellar with ice; and access to the tower was only allowed on Sundays.
A limited number of campers is allowed to overnight in the courtyard of the fortress.
https://romaniatourism.com/

Cristian Fortified Church

The church in Sânpetru was built in 1794, replacing a medieval basilica from the 14th century, which was demolished after its tower had collapsed twice. The new church was unusually provided with a western chancel and a tower was built in 1817. The interior was endowed in neoclassical style, from organ and scarcely decorated pillars to the column- altar in the chancel. Only ruins are still preserved from the exterior and second curtain wall. But the first fortification wall stands complete even today, preserving its five towers and the two level rooms built on its interior.
On the southern side of the assembly the old school and the old town hall were erected. The 13th century pre-reformation chapel was fortified in the 15th century by addition of two levels. Valuable mural paintings from 1400 decorate the chapel’s walls.
Place and surroundings
Sânpetru was founded in the 13th Century in the so-called Țara Bârsei, in a valley of the Carpathian arc. For centuries the village was on the edge of both Hungarian and Austrian sphere of influence and it was therefore exposed to attacks much more than other settlements in Transylvania. The imposing fortified church in the middle of the village repelled many invasions.
Yet, even this fortress could not stop the most dreaded enemy: the Black Dead. Legends tell of a mysterious stranger, an old woman dressed in black who was seen in Sânpetru every time before the outbreak of the plague. Beyond all legends, the strict measures that were taken to prevent the disease were historically certified. According to the monograph of the village, the inhabitants were prohibited from working their land on the same days as the people from the neighboring villages. Foreigners were denied access and breaking this rule could even have fatal outcomes for them. Even the coins were boiled, disinfected and pierced. The last great plague, which killed nearly 400 villagers stroke in 1718-1719.
https://kirchenburgen.org/

The Fortified Church in Sânpetru

Râșnov Fortress is a medieval Fliehburg-type fortress, which offered refuge for townspeople and villagers from the area in times of war. It is situated in Râșnov, Brașov County, not far from Brașov.
The fortress was built as part of a defence system for the Transylvanian villages exposed to outside invasions. A decisive aspect for building the fortress at its location was the route of the invading armies which were coming from the Bran pass and were passing through Râșnov, on their way to Brașov and other parts of the Burzenland region. The only chance of survival for the inhabitants of the area, including from Cristian and Ghimbav, was the refuge inside the fortress at Râșnov. Compelled to stay there for decades, the people of Râșnov and the nearby villages turned the fortification into their long-term place of residence.
History
Archaeological research revealed the existence of fortification traces on the fortress hill since prehistoric and Dacian times.
The medieval initial fortress is considered to have been built between 1211 and 1225, during the rule of the Teutonic Knights in Burzenland, although there is no archaeological evidence in this respect.
In 1335, during a Tatar incursion that ravaged the Burzenland, Râșnov and Brașovia were the only fortified places remaining unconquered. This is also the first documented attestation of the fortification.
In 1421 the fortress was besieged for the first time by an Ottoman army.
In 1600, Michael the Brave along with his troops and his wife, Lady Stanca, retreated here after the defeat of Mirăslău.
In 1612, during the rule of Prince Gabriel Báthory, the fortress was conquered for the only time in its history. It fell due to the lack of water caused by the discovery by the enemy troops of the path leading to a secret spring.
To remove the weakness constituted by the lack of a source of water inside the fortress, a 146 metres (479 ft) deep well was dug out between 1623 and 1642.
In 1718 the fortress was partially destroyed by a fire, and in 1802 it was damaged by an earthquake.
In 1821 refugees from Wallachia (the resurgent movement led by Tudor Vladimirescu) retreated to the fortress.
Between 1848-1849, because the town of Râșnov lay on the way of both the Hungarian revolutionaries and the Austrian imperial troops, the inhabitants retreated to the fortress. This was the last mission of the fortress as a place of refugee and defence.
In 1850, due to the political situation and the diminution of the fortress's defensive role, the fortification was abandoned, becoming a ruin. There was only one guard left who had to announce the outbreak of fires by tolling a bell.
After the two world wars and the takeover of the communist regime in Romania, the fortress was restored for the first time, but barely, in the years 1955-1956.
In 2000-2007, an Italian entrepreneur has transformed the decaying ruins into a picturesque tourist attraction by destroying and arbitrarily rebuilding parts of the archaeological remains. The Râșnov municipality has recovered the property in 2008 and better supervised work has ensued.
The legend of the well
The absence of an internal water source led to the limitation of long-term resistance during sieges. Because of this lack, it was decided to start the digging of a well in the rocky soil, in 1623.
The legend says that during a siege, the inhabitants of the fortress made two Turkish prisoners dig a well in the middle of the fortress in order to regain their freedom. The captives dug for 17 years, during which time they wrote verses from Koran on the well walls which can be seen even today. The fate of the prisoners isn't known, with some saying that they were released, and others that they were killed.
The well was used until 1850 when a broken wheel in the well windlass caused its abandonment.
The elders of Râșnov believe that deep in the well lies a treasure at least 300 years old. However, recently alpinists have closely explored the well, without finding any trace of it.
Architecture
The fortress has a simple architectonic style, similar to the ordinary houses of the time and adapted to the fortification requirements. The builders used stones and bricks for building the walls, and woods for making the gates and platforms. The towers and walls are covered with roof tiles for preventing the fires from besiegers. The walls are 5 metres (16 ft) high and the widest part is constituted by the South wall which in some areas is 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick.
The fortress is composed of two courts. The exterior court is located in front of the eastern wall, edged by a fortified wall, and fitted with a square tower. The interior court represents the inhabitable area, having a better protection by walls and towers.
From south, west and north the fortress is protected by sharp cliffs of about 150 metres (490 ft), very hard to climb. The whole superior area is defended by exterior towers gathered in the northern flank and western corner. Because of its u-shape, the eastern side of the fortress was more vulnerable due to less natural obstacles. To boost its defensive capacity, the fortress holds in this sector the heaviest fortifications.
The eastern, western and northern sides are protected by a continuous gallery with two ante forts and seven towers. There are only two towers on the southern side which is more abrupt.
The interior courtyard is paved with narrow paths made of stone, which ribbon among the tile-roofed houses. Inside there have been conserved the ruins of a school, a chapel and over thirty houses fated to refuge the villagers and their assets.
The feudal art museum
Inside the fortress there is a museum which briefly presents elements of local history, the area's habits and crafts, and also gathers artifacts and weapons from the inhabitants' past. I contains the following sections: document photocopies, weapons, tools, stamps and period objects.

Râșnov Fortress

The fortified church in Hărman was repeatedly besieged and attacked especially in the 16th and 17th century, but it was never taken. In January 1612 the villagers even succeeded to defend the castle against a strong 7,000 men army of the Hungarian prince Bathori.
The three-aisles Romanesque basilica, already strengthened by a defence wall, was equipped with a bell tower on the western side in 1290.
At the beginning of the 15th century, both the tower and the nave were adapted to the Gothic style and a second ring wall was erected. The first defence wall was heightened up to 12 m and strengthened by seven defensive towers and an outer bailey. A third wall, which did not survive to this today, surrounded the moat that was filled up in 1814. A parapet walk was built on the inside of the first defence wall, which is partially preserved today.
Remarkable are the granaries and the rooms attached to the southern side of the church.
The western tower, the tallest in Ţara Bârsei, was provided with a new spire in 1794.
The inner furniture mostly dates back from the 18th century.
A pre-reformation chapel in the eastern tower is richly decorated with outstanding frescoes depicting the Last Judgement and the Punishment of Sinners among others.
https://brasovtourism.app/

The Fortified Church in Hărman

From the newly refurbished square in Codlea one can admire the fortified church and picture its centuries-old history.
The bell tower dominates the fortified church in Codlea. Its walls reach a thickness of 5 m after having undergone several construction phases. The church was built during the 13th century and was transformed into a Gothic single-nave church two centuries later.
The first Ottoman invasion convinced the villagers of the necessity of a good defensive system. Thus an 8m high and 2m thick defence wall equipped with embrasure and machicolation surrounded the church. Granaries were also constructed in its interior, and so not only the lives of the residents were protected, but also their goods.
The interior of the church is dominated by the painted panelled ceiling, which was constructed at the beginning of the 18th century and consists of 252 panels. Also impressive is the 1783 organ, one of the most valuable instruments in Transylvania built by the craftsman Prause of Silenzia and decorated by the artist Oelhan.
https://brasovtourism.app/

Evangelical Fortified Church

The Prejmer fortified church is a Lutheran fortified church in Prejmer (Tartlau), Brașov County, in the Transylvania region of Romania and the ethnographic area of the Burzenland. The church was founded by the Germanic Teutonic Knights, and then was eventually taken over by the Transylvanian Saxon community. Initially Roman Catholic, it became Lutheran following the Reformation. Together with the surrounding village, the church forms part of the villages with fortified churches in Transylvania UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Background and church
Around 1211, King Andrew II of Hungary permitted the knights to settle around Prejmer, where they began constructing a church in 1218, in Gothic style. They were responsible for the Greek cross plan, the only one of its kind in Transylvania, but found in a few churches in northeast Germany. Following their expulsion in 1225, the Cistercians, who took over in 1240, finished the church.
The triptych altarpiece, the oldest in the province, dates to around 1450; the main panel is joined to side panels painted on both faces, on two levels. The entire piece depicts scenes from the Passion of Christ. The Crucifixion is the central subject, four times the size of the other panels, over half this panel is gilt. The front side panels show the Washing of the Feet, the Last Supper, the Flagellation and the Judgement of Caiaphas; the rear has the Weeping Women, the Entombment, the Resurrection and the Myrrhbearers. The figures are simple and reduced to their essentials, their movements restrained or even statuesque, their clothing unruffled. The backgrounds are cursory, with the interiors showing only slight attention to geometric perspective. The colors are vivid, with the reds given a particular glow by the gilt background. The artist is unknown but was presumably trained in the Viennese school. A bell tower was added above the center of the church in 1461. The Greek cross shape was modified between 1512 and 1515: two side naves of unequal size were added while the main one was extended. The interior is simple and does not have traces of frescoes, while 19th century paintings were removed during restoration.
Fortifications and recognition
When Ottoman forces or other invaders would break through the Buzău Pass, Prejmer was the first place they encountered; the village was destroyed over 50 times between the 13th and 17th centuries, while the church was only rarely captured. Due to this strategic position, the church was strongly fortified in the 15th-16th centuries. After Sigismund of Luxemburg ordered defensive systems to be built in the Burzenland, high, strong walls were built and surrounded with a water-filled moat. It seems that a tunnel linked the church to the exterior. The circular walls are up to 5 m thick and reach nearly 12 m in height. The circular walls surround the church, while a second and smaller wall sits atop the arched passage at the entrance gate. Other defensive features include five towers and a battlement. On the interior side of the wall, there are four levels containing rooms and storage space and backed by the battlement. The over 270 rooms could offer shelter to some 1600 villagers in case of attack. Entry into the complex is made through a 30 m long tunnel protected by a portcullis with wooden grilles strengthened by iron and powerful oak doors. To the right of the entrance stands a large barbican.
Frequently damaged or altered, with the last stage of extensions and modifications happening in the 18th century, Prejmer was restored to its original form following a restoration between 1960 and 1970. The site is now a museum, visitors can see some of the wall rooms, climbing the many stairs and walking the corridors that join them along the wall, eventually reaching the battlements on the outside. In 1999, Prejmer, together with five other places, was added to the already-listed Biertan to form the villages with fortified churches in Transylvania UNESCO World Heritage Site. Additionally, the church is listed as a historic monument by Romania's Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, with the following being listed as separate entries: the inner wall and rooms, the outer wall, the barbican, the battlement and the arched gallery.

Prejmer fortified church

The simple, single-story edifice was built in the late 19th century. Its main facade is determined by three risalits. The middle risalit is located in the symmetry axis of the building and a few steps are leading to the main entrance situated in the centre of the building part with three-axis. The corner risalits have two axis and the paired jack arched windows are surrounded by semicircular plaster decorations. All three risalits are closed by a triangular gable. A few crumbling stone steps are leading from the facade facing the former park to the wooden terrace. The once charming little terrace's elements are rotting, its windows are missing, as are the windows of the building's rare facade.
The first and last owner of the castle was Mikes (V.) Zsigmond and then the estate was nationalized. In the period of communism it functioned as a girls correctional facility, then, from 1964 to 1982 as an Agricultural High School. After this period, a private company turned the estate into a pigs farm. According to locals, the pigs have chewed most of the walls, the floor has rotted and the fenestration was destroyed. The castle is in a deplorable state, its tiles are missing, its wood is rotten. The building was reclaimed by the Mikes family's descendants.
The first and last owner of the castle was Mikes (V.) Zsigmond and then the estate was nationalized. In the period of communism it functioned as a girls correctional facility, then, from 1964 to 1982 as an Agricultural High School. After this period, a private company turned the estate into a pigs farm. According to locals, the pigs have chewed most of the walls, the floor has rotted and the fenestration was destroyed. The castle is in a deplorable state, its tiles are missing, its wood is rotten. The building was reclaimed by the Mikes family's descendants.
The first and last owner of the castle was Mikes (V.) Zsigmond and then the estate was nationalized. In the period of communism it functioned as a girls correctional facility, then, from 1964 to 1982 as an Agricultural High School. After this period, a private company turned the estate into a pigs farm. According to locals, the pigs have chewed most of the walls, the floor has rotted and the fenestration was destroyed. The castle is in a deplorable state, its tiles are missing, its wood is rotten. The building was reclaimed by the Mikes family's descendants.
The first and last owner of the castle was Mikes (V.) Zsigmond and then the estate was nationalized. In the period of communism it functioned as a girls correctional facility, then, from 1964 to 1982 as an Agricultural High School. After this period, a private company turned the estate into a pigs farm. According to locals, the pigs have chewed most of the walls, the floor has rotted and the fenestration was destroyed. The castle is in a deplorable state, its tiles are missing, its wood is rotten. The building was reclaimed by the Mikes family's descendants.
https://castleintransylvania.ro/

Mikes Castle in Budila

Bran Castle is a castle in Bran, 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Brașov. It is a national monument and landmark in Transylvania. The fortress is on the Transylvanian side of the historical border with Wallachia, on road DN73.
Commonly known outside Transylvania as Dracula's Castle, it is often referred to as the home of the title character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is no evidence that Stoker knew anything about this castle, which has only tangential associations with Vlad the Impaler, voivode of Wallachia, the putative inspiration for Dracula. Stoker's description of Dracula's crumbling fictional castle also bears no resemblance to Bran Castle.
The castle is now a museum dedicated to displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. Tourists can see the interior on their own or by a guided tour. At the bottom of the hill is a small open-air museum exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant structures (cottages, barns, water-driven machinery, etc.) from the Bran region.
History
Wooden castle of the German Order
In 1212, the Teutonic Order built the wooden castle of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at the entrance to a mountain pass through which traders had travelled for more than a millennium. This castle was destroyed by the Mongols in 1242.
The original name of the castle, Dietrichstein or lapis Theoderici in Latin, lit. "Dietrich's Stone", seems to have been derived from the Comthur (Commander) and regional Preceptor, frater Theodericus, mentioned in a 1212 document. This Dietrich is the probable builder of the castle. A 1509 document confirms that the Törzburg county had once belonged to Commander Dietrich of the Teutonic Order.
Stone castle of the Kronstadt Saxons
The first documented mention of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis I of Hungary on 19 November, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (modern Brașov) the privilege to build the stone castle at their own expense and labour force; the settlement of Bran began to develop nearby. In 1438–1442, the castle was used in defense against the Ottoman Empire, and later became a customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. Although many castles of the time belonged to members of nobility, it has been established that Bran Castle was built almost exclusively for fortification and protection of German colonists in Transylvania. It is believed the castle was briefly held by Mircea the Elder of Wallachia (r. 1386–95, 1397–1418) during whose period the customs point was established. The Wallachian ruler Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler; 1448–1476) does not seem to have had a significant role in the history of the fortress, although he passed several times through the Bran Gorge. At some point Bran Castle belonged to the Hungarian kings, but due to the failure of King Vladislas II (r. 1471–1516) to repay loans, the city of Brașov regained possession of the fortress in 1533. Bran played a militarily strategic role up to the mid-18th century.
Royal residence and aftermath
With the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, Hungary lost Transylvania, and the castle became a royal residence within the Kingdom of Romania after being given to the royal house by the Saxons of Kronstadt-Braşov, who had no more use for it and no interest in financing the time-damaged property. It became the favorite home and retreat of Marie of Romania, who ordered its extensive renovation conducted by the Czech architect Karel Zdeněk Líman [cs]. The castle was inherited by her daughter Princess Ileana who ran a hospital there in World War II. It was later seized by the communist regime with the expulsion of the royal family in 1948.
In 2005 the Romanian government passed a law allowing restitution claims on properties illegally expropriated, such as Bran, and thus a year later ownership of the castle was awarded to American Dominic von Habsburg, the son and heir of Princess Ileana.
On 18 May 2006, after a period of legal proceedings, the castle was legally returned to heirs of the Habsburg family. However, the Romanian state, through the Ministry of Culture, was also to administer it for the next three years.
In September 2007 an investigation committee of the Romanian Parliament stated that the retrocession of the castle to Archduke Dominic was illegal, as it broke the Romanian law on property and succession. However, in October 2007 the Constitutional Court of Romania rejected the parliament's petition on the matter. In addition, an investigation commission of the Romanian government issued a decision in December 2007 reaffirming the validity and legality of the restitution procedures used and confirming that the restitution was made in full compliance with the law.
On 18 May 2009 administration of Bran Castle was transferred from the government to Archduke Dominic and his sisters, Baroness Maria Magdalena of Holzhausen and Elisabeth Sandhofer. On 1 June 2009 the Habsburgs opened the refurbished castle to the public as the first private museum in the country and presented in collaboration with Bran village a joint strategic concept to maintain their prominent role in the Romanian tourist circuit and to safeguard the economic base in the region.
"Dracula's Castle"
Vlad the Impaler
Vlad III Dracula, better known as Vlad The Impaler, was ruler of Wallachia on and off from 1448 to 1476. Other than being colloquially known as the inspiration for Bram Stoker's titular character in the novel Dracula, Vlad III is known for committing brutal acts of war. In his reign he was under constant threat of attack from both Ottoman and Hungarian forces. During an infamous retreat from Ottoman forces, Vlad III had the bodies of his enemies and his citizens alike impaled on large spikes in the field surrounding his country. Not only did his fondness for impaling his victims earn him the nickname "Vlad the Impaler", it also ensured his survival during the retreat, as the Ottoman forces returned home after seeing the grotesque scene Vlad III had prepared for them.
Vlad the Impaler and Castle Bran
Though many myths have been connected to Vlad III in connection with the Dracula myth, most historians agree that Vlad III Dracula never set foot in Castle Bran. Castle Bran was neither a friendly place for Vlad III to visit, nor was it under his rule.
The castle was linked to Vlad III for various reasons. The castle had long been one linked to his imprisonment after he was captured by the Hungarians in 1462. It was believed that he was imprisoned in Castle Bran, but historians now conclude that Vlad III was actually imprisoned in a fortress in Budapest. It is said by historians that Castle Bran was chosen to be the colloquial location of Vlad III's imprisonment as it is a more haunting and dramatic looking structure than other castles of the region. Historians and scholars alike have concluded that Vlad III likely never set foot in the castle. However, as there is a lack of written historical accounts from the region at that time, the idea cannot be completely discredited.
Connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula
During Stoker's research on the region of Transylvania, he came across the brutal accounts of the atrocities committed by Vlad III. It is said he directly used the name Dracula after reading on the subject, but that his inspiration for Dracula was not solely based upon the historical figure. It is said instead that it was largely due to American cinema that Vlad III is considered the primary source of inspiration for the character Count Dracula. Despite there being a connection between Stoker and Vlad III, there is still no known direct connection between Stoker's fictional castle and Bran Castle.
The description of the castle in the novel Dracula does not match Bran Castle. The current connection between Castle Bran and the Dracula legend (in both the sense of Vlad III Dracula and Bram Stoker's novel) is tourism-driven. In the 1970s the Communist Party of Romania was developing a closer relationship to the West. Romania decided to put a wider focus on marketing for tourism to the country and because of the location of Bran Castle, its dramatic architecture, and its supposed connection to Vlad III Dracula and his connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula, the Romanian government decided to market the castle as the "real Dracula Castle".