Bram Stoker published the popular horror novel Dracula in 1897. The novel was inspired by Vlad III Dracul, a 15th century Romanian prince known as Vlad the Impaler who was a notoriously violent ruler. In the novel, Dracula is depicted as a vampire who lives in Bran Castle, a large castle located between Transylvania and Wallachia that some believe the real Vlad Dracul once lived in. The castle is now a popular museum of history and art.