3. In 1212, the Teutonic Order built the wooden castle
of Dietrichstein as a fortified position in the Burzenland at
the entrance to a mountain pass through which traders
had travelled for more than a millennium. This castle was
destroyed by the Mongols in 1242.[
The original name of the castle, Dietrichstein or lapis
Theoderici in Latin, lit. "Dietrich's Stone", seems to have
been derived from the Comthur (Commander) and
regional Preceptor, frater Theodericus, mentioned in a 12
document.This Dietrich is the probable builder of the
castle.[4] A 1509 document confirms that the Törzburg
county had once belonged to Commander Dietrich of the
Teutonic Order.
4. Though many myths have been connected to Vlad III
in connection with the Dracula myth, most historians
agree that Vlad III Dracula never set foot in Castle Bran.
The castle was connected to Vlad III for a number of
reasons. Castle Bran was neither a friendly place for Vlad
III to visit, nor was it under his rule. His connection to the
castle had long been one linked to his imprisonment after
he was captured by the Hungarians in 1462. It was
believed that he was imprisoned in Castle Bran, but
historians now conclude that Vlad III was actually
imprisoned in a fortress in Budapest. It is said by
historians that Castle Bran was chosen to be the
colloquial location of Vlad III's imprisonment as it is a
more haunting and dramatic looking structure than other
castles of the region. Historians and scholars alike have
concluded that Vlad III likely never set foot in the castle.
However, as there is a lack of written historical accounts
from the region at that time, the idea cannot be
completely discredited.
5.
6. Although Vlad III may not have ever been to
Castle Bran, there is still today a strong
connection between the castle and the novel
Dracula, by Bram Stoker. During Stoker's
research on the region of Transylvania, he
came across the brutal accounts of the
atrocities committed by Vlad III. It is said he
directly used the name Dracula after reading
on the subject, but that his inspiration for
Dracula was not solely based upon the
historical figure. It is said instead that it was
largely due to American cinema that Vlad III
is considered the primary source of
inspiration for the character Count Dracula.
Despite there being a connection between
Stoker and Vlad III, there is still no known
direct connection between Stoker's fictional
castle and Bran Castle. The description of
the castle in the novel Dracula does not
directly match the description of Bran Castle.
It is now known that the reason there is such
a widely known and believed connection
between Castle Bran and the Dracula legend
(in both the sense of Vlad III Dracula and
Bram Stoker's novel) is tourism.
