With the international release of the blockbuster movie Nosferatu at the beginning of this year, interest in vampires may be at an all-time high. This is likely to bring a new wave of tourists to the region of central Romania known as Transylvania, which is the home territory of both Nosferatu and Count Dracula, as well as the real-life villain who inspired their creation. The latter is the iron-fisted ruler Vlad Tepes Draculea (more popularly known as Vlad the Impaler), who ruled with a ruthlessness that has only a few parallels in history.
In Romania, the Dracula legend has long been a boon to the tourist economy. Many horror fans consider a trip to the dark, mysterious forests and mountain valleys of Transylvania the ultimate thrill. They imagine being stalked by Count Dracula even as they learn about the real-life figure who inspired Bram Stoker’s famous vampire novel, Dracula, written in the late 1890s. Festivals and celebrations featuring Dracula- or Vlad-themed events are held in locations associated with one or both of these characters, drawing visitors from around the world.
While private tourist companies have always been more than happy to play up the Dracula legend and to link it to the actual (horrific) exploits of the bloodthirsty but extremely well-known Vlad the Impaler, political leaders in Romania have never been thrilled with this approach to building the country’s tourism industry. In fact, many have been downright hostile to this type of promotion. The Romanian National Tourist Office has refrained from emphasizing the country’s connection with Count Dracula, believing it sends the wrong message about who Romanians really are while obscuring what they have struggled to achieve.
A Study in Contrasts: Sighisoara Medieval Festival vs. Halloween at Dracula’s Castle
The ambivalence toward Vlad the Impaler and the Dracula legend in Romania is exemplified by an annual medieval festival held at the end of July in the small Transylvanian city of Sighisoara.
Home to the oldest continuously occupied medieval fortress in southeastern Europe, the citadel at Sighisoara boasts nine defensive towers and other structures, all built more than 500 years ago and still in pristine condition. The city is also the birthplace of Vlad Tepes Draculea (1431), the future prince who would become Romania’s most renowned historical figure.
The festival, known as the Sighisoara Medieval Festival and the largest of its kind in Transylvania, draws thousands of enthusiasts each year to explore medieval art and witness reenactments of historic battles and political events. Despite the era being celebrated and Vlad’s deep historical ties to the city, his exploits are conspicuously absent from the festivities. Although the festival’s website acknowledges Sighisoara as his birthplace, Vlad remains entirely excluded from its performances and events.
Nevertheless, whether they like it or not, Sighisoara does draw tourists who specifically come looking to immerse themselves in the life and times of Vlad the Impaler, which have essentially been preserved in the medieval citadel.
Many of these thrill-seekers arrive in October, joining organized tours that trace the footsteps of the notorious 15th-century prince known for impaling his enemies on wooden stakes, an act calculated to intimidate political and military rivals and ensure the obedience of his subjects. While these tourists pass through Sighisoara, often asking questions that likely make some locals uneasy, their ultimate destination is typically Bran Castle, better known as Dracula’s Castle.
Perched atop a steep hillside in the Carpathian Mountains, this foreboding fortress was identified by Bram Stoker as the fictional home of Count Dracula in his novel. Although Vlad the Impaler never lived there, he was imprisoned in the castle for several months, lending a degree of legitimacy to its association with him.
Read the full article “Count Dracula and Vlad the Impaler Bring Tourists to Romanian. But Not All Romanians Are Happy” in the January-February 2025 issue of Ancient Origins Magazine. And be sure to subscribe to Ancient Origins Magazine today!
Top image: Bran’s Castle, more popularly known as Dracula’s Castle, in Transylvania.
Source: Todor Bozhinov/CC BY-SA 4.0.
By Nathan Falde
