Bran, Râșnov, and the Magnificent Brașov
Angela: today is the day of mystery! We leave early, the van takes us along narrower and narrower roads through woods and hairpin bends, and suddenly… there it is.
Piero: Bran Castle! Perched on a rocky outcrop, with sharp towers and white walls that seem to rise from the living stone. There’s no fog, but you can still feel the gothic atmosphere.
Angela: it’s the one everyone associates with Dracula. Bram Stoker in his 1897 novel imagined it among the Transylvanian mountains, with the count sleeping in coffins and sucking blood between demonic laughs.
Piero: actually, Stoker never set foot in Romania. His Dracula is a literary creation partly inspired by the historical figure Vlad Țepeș, the 15th-century Wallachian prince known as the Impaler.
Angela: Vlad may never have really been here either, although Bran Castle is the only one that matches, in location and appearance, the description in the book. So: more mythology than history.
Piero: definitely! Even though Vlad Țepeș really existed.
Angela: so let’s talk about him for a moment. Vlad III of Wallachia, called Țepeș, meaning “the Impaler,” was born in 1431 in Sighișoara, son of Vlad II Dracul, a member of the Order of the Dragon, from which comes the famous title “Dracula,” meaning “son of the Dragon.”
Piero: he was a ruthless but determined prince who fiercely fought the Ottoman Turks to defend Wallachia. He imposed order with brutal methods: impalement was his trademark. Chronicles speak of entire forests of skewered corpses.
Angela: yet, to his people, he wasn’t a monster. He was a just ruler who punished the corrupt, defended Wallachia’s autonomy, and did not hesitate to strike down treacherous nobles or dishonest merchants.
Piero: as often happens, history and legend have merged. The German accounts of the time, commercial rivals of the Romanians, described him as sadistic and bloodthirsty. It was from those descriptions that Stoker created his aristocratic, immortal vampire.
Angela: but Vlad didn’t have sharp fangs. He did have a sharp political mind, though. He was even imprisoned in Visegrád by the Hungarian kings, later returned to power, and finally died in battle; his head was sent as a gift to the sultan in Istanbul.
Piero: a fate more like a Greek tragedy than a gothic novel.
Angela: and maybe it’s precisely this mix of violence, mystery, and patriotism that made him immortal. Much more than Count Dracula.
Angela: a blend of legend and reality that, however, works. We climb on foot along a short cobblestone path, between trees and stone walls. The castle watches us from above, with its leaning towers and uneven façade: it really seems suspended between history and fantasy.
Piero: once inside, we move through cozy rooms, low ceilings, narrow corridors, wooden stairs, and secret passages. There’s something disorienting about this castle: every space changes direction, height, and light.
Angela: in the center there’s a small inner courtyard, surrounded by wooden balconies and little windows with embroidered curtains. A well in the middle adds mystery to the scene: it’s said there’s an underground tunnel beneath it, now sealed; who knows where it led.
Piero: along with Dracula, the most fascinating part is connected to Maria of Edinburgh, Queen Marie of Romania. It was she who received the castle as a gift in 1920 from the city of Brașov, as a token of gratitude for her role in the unification of Romania.
Angela: Maria fell in love with it immediately and transformed it into a summer residence, filling it with artworks, oriental rugs, antique furniture, and above all, soul. Here she would take refuge in difficult times, write, and receive guests and diplomats.
Piero: she was an incredible figure: writer, traveler, informal diplomat, and deeply connected to Romania. She had British and Russian blood, but a Romanian heart. And that heart, after her death, was actually kept for a time right here at Bran, in a small chapel.
Angela: we walk through her rooms with respect. Here you feel the real history, much stronger than folklore. The castle tells her story more than Dracula’s. Watch our discovery again in this video:
Piero: we get back in the van, which heads off through the pines toward Râșnov, just a few kilometers away. Here awaits a true fortified medieval citadel, built by the Saxons in the 13th century to defend against Tatar raids.
Angela: Râșnov Fortress dominates the valley from the top of a hill. We park and, instead of climbing a path through the woods (we’ll be walking plenty today), we take advantage of the panoramic elevator. A short ride through the forest and here we are: the entrance is spectacular—towers, mighty walls, wood and stone.
Piero: inside there were houses, a chapel, warehouses. A truly self-sufficient village where inhabitants took refuge during sieges. Some houses have been rebuilt with shingled roofs and artisan workshops. Unfortunately, the heart of the fortress is closed for renovations—it must have been quite a sight!
Angela: and then the view… from up there you can see the Southern Carpathians, the dark forests, the rooftops of Râșnov, and in the distance, Brașov waiting for us.
Piero: and that’s exactly where we go for lunch. We choose a restaurant with outdoor tables right in front of the Black Church, in the main square. A spectacular view and a plate of ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup) that brings us back to life.
Angela: then begins our walk in the heart of magnificent Brașov. Founded by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th century and later colonized by the Saxons, it’s an elegant city with a perfectly preserved historic center.
Piero: and we start our visit right from the Black Church.
Angela: it’s the largest Gothic church in Romania. It owes its name to the fire of 1689 that blackened its walls. The interior is severe and majestic: soaring vaults, stained glass windows, and above all, a unique collection of Anatolian rugs hanging on the walls, gifts from Turkish merchants.
Piero: from here we move to the main square, Piața Sfatului. It’s a true gem: baroque buildings, fountains, and especially the Council House with its medieval tower and clock at the top.
Angela: we are in one of the most beautiful squares in Transylvania. Piața Sfatului has the shape of an irregular rectangle, with houses featuring colorful façades that look like they came out of a model. The roofs are tall, red, with dormers and crooked chimneys. The Council House was the medieval town hall.
Piero: it was built in the 15th century, and here the council of the German Saxons, who ruled the city, used to meet. Today it is a local history museum. The square is perfectly preserved. The stones on the ground, the wrought iron street lamps, the shop signs—everything seems to evoke a bygone era.
Angela: we continue with a walk along Republic Avenue: shops, shopping, and here too splendid colorful buildings.
Piero: on the opposite side, we reach the entrance to Strada Sforii, the “Rope Street”: just about one and a half meters wide, it’s one of the narrowest streets in Europe.
Angela: it’s about fifty meters long and was used as a passage for firefighters in the 17th century; today it’s a small attraction: everyone wants to walk through it single file.
Piero: fascinating to cross it and observe the many writings on the tall, smooth walls, like a collective diary left by passersby.
Angela: walking through the nearby streets, we find ourselves in front of a doorway with the Star of David carved in stone.
Piero: it’s the Neolog synagogue of Brașov, built at the end of the 19th century in Moorish style. The entrance is a bit hidden, but once you pass through the gate, you find yourself in a quiet courtyard.
Angela: it looks like a building from Sarajevo or Budapest, not a mountain synagogue.
Piero: indeed, the style is Austro-Hungarian, like many Neolog synagogues of the time. The Neolog movement sought to modernize the worship and promote the integration of Jews into the society of the Empire. Here, the Jewish community counted more than four hundred thousand people; after World War II and subsequent emigration, only a few remain. It opens only on Saturdays. We just have time for a photo.
Angela: at this point we head up to the Weaver’s Bastion, one of the city’s defensive towers. Brașov was completely surrounded by walls, and this bastion still preserves the original beams and medieval structure.
Piero: we take a walk along the walls, pass by the Blacksmiths’ Bastion, and go through Poarta Ecaterinei, the only surviving city gate in Renaissance style, with its four small towers that symbolized the city’s right to carry out death sentences.
Angela: the last stop now is the White Tower.
Piero: built in the 15th century, it was used to watch over the walls and defend the northern side of the city. From here, every movement could be monitored.
Angela: sure, at the end of the day, climbing this short but steep stairway isn’t the best for my legs, but the view is worth the effort: it’s a perfect vantage point to enjoy the colors of Brașov as sunset approaches.
Piero: Brașov is a lively city but not chaotic; historic, yet still vibrant. Perfectly human-sized. Discover it by walking with us in this video:
Angela: we return to our van and head back to Sinaia. Today has been a full day, one of those that fills your mind and heart.
Piero: Dracula, fortresses, Gothic, and a city that surprised us. Transylvania still has much to tell.
