Bran Castle was set up in 1377 as military border protection commissioned by Louis I of Hungary to keep out the invading Ottomans. This stonework fortification was actually the reincarnation of a similar structure made of wood from over a century prior. This imposing fortress in the rural area of Romania is most often associated with Count Dracula and its inspiration, Vlad the Impaler. However, there really may not be a true link between the legend and the castle, and it all may be just a coincidence, based on similarities from the story. Romanian lore talks extensively about a creature known as “strigoi”, which Westerners more commonly call vampires. Accounts of paranormal activity have long been reported in the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. Whispering and/or laughing children have been heard throughout the edifice, along with the ghost of Queen Marie, who transformed the building in the 1920s. It’s believed that her heart was encased in a silver box on-site, clearly giving off a creepy vibe that she still roams the grounds. Also discovered hidden behind a fireplace, a secret labyrinth has been thought to be a vortex of supernatural energy and ghostly activity. Truth be told, being this close to arguably the darkest forest in the world could be one valid reason for such eerie reports. Romania has long been tied to vampiric monsters, so the stories clearly run rampant. What’s your take?
Haunted Bran Castle
