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The Haunts of Count Dracula

© Roxanne Nelson

From Bela Legosi to Tom Cruise, vampires have been immortalized in Hollywood celluloid since the days of silent films. But none have ever achieved the fame and following of Mr. Darkness himself, Count Dracula. When author Bram Stoker penned his famous book in 1897, he had no idea that he had just given birth to a legend that was as immortal as his sophisticated vampire--provided that he stayed out of the light, of course, and away from wooden stakes.

While Stoker's novel was a work of fiction, he did base his Count Dracula on a vicious warlord named Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler, who lived in and around Transylvania, which today is part of Rumania. Although the atrocities attributed to Vlad are enough to make your blood curdle, there is no documented evidence that he ever drank the stuff. Or slept in a coffin. Or cringed at the light of day. But the stories of Vlad's exploits inspired Bram Stoker, along with the rich history, lore and myths of Transylvania. If you go seeking Count Dracula, you will be disappointed because all of the landmarks are fictitious, including his famous castle. But Vlad's footprints can still be followed. So if you're a Dracula buff, a vampire aficionado, or just plain curious, you can go in search of the real thing.

Transylvania is an ancient land, and had been a integral part of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 until 1921. At the end of World War I, as part of the Treaty of Trianon, 1920, the Allies annexed Transylvania from Hungary to Rumania. Surrounded on three sides by the Carpathian mountains, it is the largest section of Rumania and primarily rural, dotted with medieval towns and bleak leftovers of the former Communist regime. If you come to Rumania in search of Count Dracula, chances are, the local people will think you are speaking about Nicolae Ceausescu, their former leader. During his reign of terror, he razed hundreds of ancient Transylvanian towns and replaced them with monotonous housing blocks. Although not as well known as his counterparts in terror, he ranks well up there with other 20th century monsters such as Stalin and Hitler. Since his execution on Christmas Day, 1989, Rumania has been trying to recapture its history (which Ceausescu sought to obliterate) and Dracula tourism is slowly becoming popular.

Vlad Tepes was born in 1431 in the fortress of Sighisoara. His father, Vlad Dracul (note a similarity to the name Dracula?) was the appointed military governor of Transylvania. Today Signisoara is the quintessential medieval town, and the house where Vlad was born is now the Restaurant Berarie. It was restored in 1976 to mark the 500th anniversary of his death. At the nearby clock tower, in which a carved wood executioner swings his axe on the hour, there is a museum which houses grisly weapons and artifacts supposedly owned by Vlad.

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