Castle Bran

	Castle Bran is located roughly a half hour south-west of Braşov, obviously in the town of Bran.
	Bran
	Bran
	The castle is no longer an active "residence," but is well maintained and open for tours. There are a few items in the castle from one of the queens that used it. It is most famous for being the location that Bram Stoker used as the home of Dracula.
	"Dracula's Castle"
	Castle Bran
	Castle Bran
	Need a translation......
	Main tour entrance.
	Main tour entrance.
	Main tour entrance.
	Need a translation......
	Some of the more recent "owners" of the castle.
	Vlad Ţepeş (1431 - 1476), aka "Vlad the Impailer". Thought to be the "meme" Bram Stoker used for Daracula. Enthusiastic defender of the area who would behead his enemies and impail their heads on stakes outside the castle.
	More of the castle residents - note the Crusader Ordinul Cavalerilor (1211 - 1225).
	Looking out the window at Bran.
	Looking out the window at Bran.
	Looking down on the courtyard.
	Looking out the window at Bran.
	Window nooks with seats.
	Lajos in the parlor.
	This is the stairway between the main floors and the bedrooms (looking down). Very narrow, short, and steep. Although we entered this way for the tour, it may actually be a back "escape" stairway.
	The Queen's chamber, with a sitting area around the firebox.
	Door and firebox.
	Obviously castles didn't have central heating. These fireboxes were in every room and served as radiant heaters.
	Parlor room and firebox.
	Library.
	Decorative door.
	Central courtyard.
	Central courtyard.
	The walkway around the upper part of the courtyard served as a means for quickly moving around the perimeter of the castle when defending it against attackers.
	Central courtyard and walkway.
	Central courtyard and walkway.
	Looking down the valley towards what used to be Hungary.
	The Hungarian border used to be just a couple hundred yards south of the castle (near the bottom of this picture).
	Central courtyard.
	More of the defensive walkway around the courtyard.
	Lajos and Alys on the walkway.
	Lajos and Alys on the walkway.
	In the courtyard looking up.
	Castle "shingles"
	A view south from an outside "porch" on the roof of the castle.
	Looking up from the walkway around the castle courtyard.
	The king's chamber - amour, dresser, and firebox.
	The king's scepter.
	The king's bed.
	Parlor room and firebox (again).
	Weapons and shields with crests.
	Armor/
	(king's?) crown and chain mail.
	Crusader's chain mail.
	More of the courtyard.
	More of the walkway.
	Miniature cannon.
	Inside view of the courtyard.
	Looking up from the courtyard.
	Leaving the castle, but going back by the entrance.
	Back around to the "front door".
	Going down, but looking back up at the castle.
	Going down, but looking back up at the castle.
	Going down, but looking back up at the castle.
	Going down, but looking back up at the castle.
	Going down, but looking back up at the castle.
	A 3D model of the castle and the area around it - Bran to the left, "Hungary" to the right.
	3D model of the castle - entrance up the road on the left near the trees.
	A view of the castle from the south ("Hungary" side), looking north.
	View looking north at the castle.
	View looking north at the castle.
	View looking north at the castle.
	View looking north at the castle.
	Zoomed in.
	Another look at the miniature cannon.
	A look at the map of the area over time. Note, in particular, that from 1859 until some time in the mid 20th century, the castle was right on the southern boarder of Transylvania.
	Muntenia??
	But, of course, Dracula is the big draw. In Bran, at the edge of the castle grounds, is a large group of vendors selling all sorts of wares - food, clothing, all sorts of Chinese made trinkets, and Dracula-this and Dracula-that. However there are a few genuine made-in-Romania stalls.
	The food was great!
	This is some sort of bread pudding - a Romanian staple desert. Chris loved it; Alys thought it was good; I can pass - its' ok, but I'll spend my calories/carbs on something I actually like.
	Speaking of which....meat! mici! sausage! great stuff!
	Some of the Romania-made vendors.
	(Likely) made in China vendors.
	Sweets.
Viewer beware: one exhibit at Castle Bran was Medieval Torture Devices. I took a number of pictures of this exhibit, but had to quit because these machines are simply too barbaric. It's unbelievable what people could do to another person. It appears that one of the main objectives was to get someone to confess to being a "witch" (which implies many victims were women).