Transylvania: Gothic Realm

Places of Blood

Corvin Castle

Situated in Hunedoara, Corvin Castle is one of Eastern Europe's largest castles, known for its Gothic architecture and imposing towers. It was built in the 15th century and has a rich history intertwined with legends and myths.

Cantacuzino Castle

Completed in 1911 for Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, the castle boasts intricate stonework, a museum showcasing art collections, and stunning views of the Carpathian Mountains.

Biertan Fortified Church

A Gothic hall church constructed in 1522–1523, surrounded by multiple defensive walls.

Viscri Fortified Church

A Romanesque chapel from the 12th century, later fortified in the 16th century, noted for its single nave and impressive buttresses.

Carpathian Mountains

Spanning across Transylvania, the Carpathians are among Europe’s last great wildernesses. They encompass old-growth forests, alpine meadows, and deep valleys, providing habitats for a myriad of species.

Hoia-Baciu Forest

Adjacent to Cluj-Napoca, this forest is famed for its mysterious legends and unique vegetation patterns, attracting both nature lovers and thrill-seekers.

National Museum of Transylvanian History, Exhibit 1

National Museum of Transylvanian History, Exhibit 2

National Museum of Transylvanian History

Archaeology, medieval and modern history.

Pharmaceutical Museum

Located in a 16th-century pharmacy, it showcases old medical tools and potions.

Sighișoara Citadel

UNESCO World Heritage Site; one of the last inhabited medieval citadels in Europe.

Catherine's Gate (Brașov)

The last medieval city gate still standing in Brașov, built in 1559 by the German (Saxon) community.

Dark Banquets

Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Ground pork (sometimes mixed with beef) and rice rolled in sour cabbage leaves.
Cooked with tomato sauce and smoked meat.
Served with mămăligă (cornmeal porridge) and sour cream.

Gulyás (Transylvanian Goulash)

A Hungarian-style beef stew with paprika, potatoes, and root vegetables.
Transylvanian versions are thicker and heartier.

Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake)

Sweet yeast dough wrapped around a cylinder, baked, and rolled in sugar and nuts.
Crispy outside, soft inside. Popular at fairs.

Carnati de Pleşcoi

Spicy lamb sausages from the Carpathian region, also popular in Transylvania.

Tocană de Porc (Pork Stew)

Slow-cooked pork in its own fat, with onions, garlic, and sometimes mushrooms.
Often served with polenta or pickles.

Brânză de burduf

Salty sheep cheese, often aged in fir bark.

Slănină afumată

Smoked pork fat with garlic and paprika.

Mămăligă (Polenta)

Staple side dish made from boiled cornmeal.
Topped with brânză de burduf (sheep cheese) and sour cream.

Count Dracula

Count Dracula is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel Dracula. He is considered the prototypical and archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some to have been inspired by the 15th-century Wallachian prince Vlad the Impaler, who was also known as Vlad Dracula.

One of Dracula's most iconic powers is his ability to turn others into vampires by biting them and infecting them with the vampiric disease. Dracula is handsome and charismatic, with a veneer of aristocratic charm. His biggest weakness is his bloodlust, which he is seemingly unable to control. Adaptations sometimes call this uncontrollable state 'the thirst'.

Bram Stoker's novel takes the form of an epistolary tale, in which Count Dracula's characteristics, powers, abilities, and weaknesses are narrated by multiple narrators, from different perspectives.

Count Dracula is an undead, centuries-old vampire, and a Transylvanian nobleman who claims to be a Székely descended from Attila the Hun. He inhabits a decaying castle in the Carpathian Mountains near the Borgo Pass. He reveals himself as deeply proud of his boyar heritage and nostalgic for the past, which he admits has become only a memory of heroism, honour, and valour in modern times.

Life of Vlad the Impaler

Life in the 15th century on the frontier between the Ottoman Empire and Christian Europe was often harsh, and Vlad’s experience was reflective of that. Vlad’s father, Vlad II, had won the moniker “Dracul” for his membership in the Order of the Dragon, a militant fraternity founded by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and dedicated to halting the Ottoman advance into Europe.

Vlad III (Vlad the Impaler) and his younger brother were sent as hostages to the court of the Ottoman sultan Murad II to ensure Vlad II’s compliance. The Ottoman territorial gain led the Hungarian general János Hunyadi to intervene, and, with the support of Walachian boyars (aristocrats), Vlad II was deposed. He was executed, and his eldest son, Mircea, was blinded with a hot poker and buried alive.

Vlad III, who had chafed at life in the Ottoman court, returned to Walachia in 1448 and, at age 17, immediately began working to regain the voivodate (princedom) of Walachia. He exacted vengeance against the boyars who had killed his father and brother, impaling many of them. This would earn Vlad the sobriquet “Țepeș” (“the Impaler”).

Though he did not invent that torturous method of execution he practiced it with unmatched enthusiasm. Like crucifixion, impalement was intended to serve as both a horrific punishment and an unmistakable threat to one’s enemies, and Vlad is said to have left “forests” of impaled bodies in his wake. Victims of transversal impalement were arguably the more fortunate of the two, as having a pike or sharpened pole driven through one’s torso.

He was ultimately slain in battle, but his actions (both historical and literary) ensured that the name Dracula would not soon be forgotten.

TRANSYLVANIA