Bran Castle and Bram Stoker

As soon I came across this article and viewed photos of the 
14th century Bran Castle, I decided 
I would like to go to live in there now, please.

Located in the very heart of Romania, the woodland countryside and hilltop P.O.V. are a backdrop woven from the stuff of fairy tales,
and the gorgeousness of the minimalistic interior spaces touches special realms in my feeling regions.

While he had never actually visited Bran Castle in person, Bram Stoker used it as inspiration for the setting of the famous fortress in his immortal book, 'Dracula' (1897), relying on the descriptions of the place as written by Charles Boner in his 1865 book, 'Transylvania: Its Product and Its People'. 

It is widely known that Mr. Stoker loosely based his title character on Vlad Tepes III, Prince of Wallachia, aka Vlad the Impaler.  And though Vlad never occupied Bran Castle in any official capacity, he was imprisoned there for a two year stint in the late 1400s, and so technically does have some ties to the famous site.

{ this little courtyard is pretty much everything. }

{ these rooms can take all my days. }

The juxtaposition of its idyllic surroundings and gorgeous interior mixed with the heaviness of the times and events that occurred there is fascinating, and a little conflicting.  Looking at the photos, I think "I could live there"; 
but if its walls could talk, would I really want to have a conversation 
with these ones?

{ above: down into the dungeon, where the real Dracul was probably kept during his time there. 

below: pieces from the armor collection. }

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Here's to castle livin'!

Click here for a ground view of the castle.

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