Thanks to Bram Stoker's iconic novel"Dracula" interest in vampires swept across the world like a hurricane. The subject of vampirism struck literally all areas of art: cinema, television, theater, painting. People have always loved everything mysterious and mystical, and if it has real prototypes, it is so doubly interesting. Perhaps this is precisely what can explain the inexhaustible burning interest in the habitat of Dracula. Many fans of vampiric themes ask themselves the question: “Where is Transylvania?” And go in search of something terrible and supernatural.
A bit of history of the long-suffering region
According to Stoker's novel, the habitat of the graphDracula is Transylvania, where its famous castle is located. Currently, this north-western region of Romania has other, less popular names - Erdei or Semigradie. Over the centuries, this region has moved from one country to another many times. In the Middle Ages, the region had autonomous status in the Hungarian kingdom. In 1526, after the Battle of Mojac, Transylvania was cut off from Hungary and was an independent principality for some time, but in 1566 it became subordinate to the Turkish sultan. Until 1613, Princes of the Batory family were governed by Transylvania, and afterwards by the Rakoczy family. In those days, the principality was a stronghold of Protestantism in Eastern Europe. In 1687, the Turkish sultan after defeat in the confrontation with the Habsburg dynasty for Transylvania abandoned all claims to this region. At the beginning of the XVIII century, the region lost its independence and again became part of the Hungarian kingdom. However, after the end of the First World War, Transylvania was entirely transferred to Romania. During the twentieth century, the Northeastern part of Transylvania was transferred from Romania to Hungary and back several times and only in the 1970s did it finally remain part of Romania. The historical center of the place where Transylvania is located is the Transylvanian Plateau (its height is about 500 meters), giving rise to several rivers and tributaries of the Danube.
Wallachia
It is not enough to answer the question:“Where is Transylvania - the birthplace of Count Dracula?” He was really born in Transylvania, but he was the ruler in Wallachia. This principality existed on the territory of the region under the same name from the middle of the XIV and to the middle of the XIX century, when it united with the Moldavian principality. The region of Wallachia historically located in the south of modern Romania, between the Danube and the Carpathians, and was divided by the Olt into two parts - the Great and the Small Wallachia. Like the neighboring Transylvania, the principality, beginning in the 15th century, was feudally dependent on the Ottoman Empire. In Wallachia, a huge number of rulers changed throughout its history, which was very characteristic of that time, given that the struggle was not only for the throne, but also for influence on the principality and the neighboring territories between the Turks and the Hungarian kingdom.
Vlad III Tepes
It is this historical figure that has so attractedhis time Bram Stoker and became the prototype of the hero of his novel. And, perhaps, this happened for a reason, because the figure of the Tepes is very ambiguous and shrouded in an aura of mystery and all sorts of horror stories. That of the legends is true, and that of lies, even modern scientists still cannot figure out. Many facts of his biography are not exactly known, many are controversial, and many are not proven. Unknown even the exact date of his birth. Historians have calculated that he was born approximately in 1431. The place of his birth was Transylvania, where the city of Sighisoara is located. Today, this town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and even the house where the Dracula family lived has survived. How to find and where it is: Transylvania (Romania), Sighisoara city, Tinstyanschikov street, 5.
Son of the Dragon
Vlad received his nickname “Tepes” afterof death. And it was a translation of the nickname from Turkish, it was the Turks who called the prince a "ring-dog" for a special manner of cracking down on enemies. But Dracula, he was the father. Vlad II was a knight of the Order of the Dragon (the so-called Order of St. George). He minted on his own behalf a coin with a dragon depicted on them, which spread throughout Wallachia, for which he received the nickname Dracul - which means "dragon". His son also inherited the nickname, but there was some transformation, and so Vlad III became Dracula.
Lord of Wallachia
That is how the rulers in this region were called.Dracula came to power three times: briefly in 1448, from 1456 to 1462, and shortly before his death in 1476. From Transylvania, the family of Dracula moved to the city of Targovishte, the capital of Wallachia, because Vlad's father became a prince. In this city there is also a castle where Vlad Tepes lived. In 1444, his father, along with his sons, Vlad and his brother, was forced to go to Turkey and ask for help from the Sultan, because Janusz Hunyadi, the ruler of the Hungarian kingdom at that time, decided to overthrow Vlad II and make his appointee Wallachia. Vlad and Radu, his brother, became the pledge of the Sultan’s help. For a long time, they were actually captured by the Turkish sultan. It is believed that these years have greatly influenced Dracula, changed his character, made him so cruel. It was probably contributed to the fact that his father was betrayed and killed, and his older brother was buried alive. However, besides the fact that Vlad brutally cracked down on his enemies and traitors, he did a lot of charity work, built churches, was an Orthodox philanthropist, and uniquely, but effectively fought against crime on the streets of Wallachia.
Bran or Poenar?
It so happened that the castle of Count Dracula is consideredBran Castle. However, this is a misconception, and it appeared due to the fact that this castle appeared in the film adaptation of the novel by Bram Stoker. Well, it looks, of course, it is impressive, intimidating and inaccessible. It is not known for certain how often Vlad visited the area where Transylvania is located. Dracula, according to some sources, loved to hunt in those places; according to others, he stopped during his campaigns. There is also a version that it was in this castle that the Turks tortured him. Be that as it may, in fact, Bran is the most visited attraction on Dracula tours. The Romanian region of Transylvania, where the “Dracula’s Castle” is located, annually attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. And only the Poenari fortress, which is considered to be the real castle of Dracula, competes with this castle, it was his real residence. Unfortunately, the fortress was destroyed, only ruins have survived to this day. Its location was strategically very important, on the border of Wallachia and Transylvania, high in the mountains above the river Arges.
Be sure to visit
Many people want to visit amazingmysterious, shrouded in a halo of antiquity and mystery of the place where Transylvania is located - the birthplace of Count Dracula. Transylvania attracts tourists with its fabulous landscapes and atmosphere of the Middle Ages. Mysteries and legends, alluring and mysterious, can be found in almost all corners of this area. In addition to all sorts of excursions to various historical sites, you can relax your soul, as the surrounding nature literally breathes harmony and peace.
