Bran Castle National Monument

Bran castle is a national monument and landmark located near Brasov, an important trade center in Romania. This fortress is nearly 1000 years old and stands near the Carpathian Mountains at Transylvania in the heart of rural Romania. The fortress stands here today in the name of Draculas Castle also.

Bran castle was originally built by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1212. At that time it was called Dietrichstein. By the late 1200, the Saxons overtook the castle in order to protect Brasov, an important trade center then. This fortress was used against invasion of Turks In 1370. This castle served as an important feudal fortress throughout the middle ages. Its main role was to defend against invasion.

Bran castle was initially built with four towers. Among them the Powder House Tower is the oldest. It is part of the original castle built in 1212. The house consists of Cannons Gallery, the Gunners Room, and also a room where the castles gunpowder used to be stored. In the 15th century during restoration of the castle, two new towers namely the Observation Tower and the Eastern Tower were added. In 1622, the Gate Tower was added and the castles south wall was strengthened to 11 feets thickness to stand against cannon fire.

On the auspicious day of December 1st 1920, the people of Brasov, through the voice of their mayor, Mr. Karl Schnell, presented the Bran castle to the Romanian royal family, in whose possession the castle remained for the next twenty seven years. In order to make it a modern summer residence of the royal family, the castle has undergone a series of architectural renovations between 1920 -1930.

The renovation works were lead by the Czech architect Karel Liman. In order to make it inhabitable by the royal family, the Bran Castle was equipped with all utilities compulsory in a genuine royal residence. The water was supplied by the 57 meters fountain dug in the inner court of the castle. A water power station of 85 hp was also built on Turcu River in December 1932, to illuminate the castle and the surroundings.

Like many other palaces and castles in the world, the Bran castle, is the place where the architectural and imaginative view of Queen Maria has been fully reflected. Thus, the castle also consists of a hunting house, a wooden small church, a wooden house and two bawdy houses. The Bran Castle was next to the palace of Balcic, the dearest residence of Queen Maria who, due to her imagination, changed the solid and unwelcoming fortress into a pleasant and comfortable summer dwelling. Hauntedcastlesandhotels