Among the historic monuments of great importance in Romania is Bran Castle, in the Bran-Rucăr Pass.
It is worth knowing that this attraction is only 30 km from the city of Brașov, on the road linking Brașov and Câmpulung Muscel.
It was built on a rock, which means the scenery is truly impressive. Today the castle is a museum, and tourists can visit all 4 of its floors.
Every year very many tourists visit Bran Castle, fascinated by the famous legend of Count Dracula.
This is a historic site more than 600 years old, first mentioned in 1377, during the reign of the King of Hungary, Louis I of Anjou.
At first it served as a defensive fortress, but on 19 November 1377 the king issued a document granting the inhabitants of Brașov the privilege of building a castle.
From 1920, the Brașov Town Council donated the castle as a sign of gratitude to Queen Marie of Romania. Then, in 1948, Bran Castle became the property of the Romanian state, and it has been open to visitors since 1956.
In 1993 the castle became a tourist attraction, regarded as a historical and feudal art museum.
At present, the best-known legend created around a castle is the Legend of Dracula.
In the Brașov area nature has been very generous, and the scenery is like something from a fairy tale. There are two impressive mountain massifs in this area, Piatra Craiului and the Bucegi, and all tourists who visit these lands enjoy a wonderful view.
Today all visitors can see the collections of costumes, weapons, furniture and armour inside the castle.
To go up to the first floor, we climb a staircase with oak steps, and in the first room we can visit the weapons hall, which has a collection dating from the 16th century. The bas-reliefs on the doors and their frames are also worth noting and cannot be overlooked by visitors.
The building stands out for its imposing, cold stature, with the castle strategically placed on a rock.
We reach the second floor by climbing a very narrow staircase dug into the rock. Here we find a music room, furnished in the Renaissance style.
On the third floor, we arrive at the brick-paved loggia, from where we can admire the whole inner courtyard in all its splendour.
On the fourth floor, we can enjoy the panorama of the gorge of the Turcu river and capture every moment with some very successful photographs.
Romania therefore has very great tourism potential, blessed with both perfect scenery and unusual sights, including Bran Castle, a monument with a unique architecture that has kept its beauty of old.
