Romania: In Search of Dracula

Story and photography by
Nancy & Eric Anderson 

 

All countries have their heroes. Romania’s most celebrated are the two princes of Wallachia who battled the Ottoman empire: Michael the Brave who reigned from 1558 until his assassination in 1601, and the more controversial figure, Vlad Tepes (1431-1476), the basis for the Dracula legend -- who despite his barbaric cruelty is respected in Romanian history as one who fought Turkish oppression so fiercely.

And the name Dracula? The Holy Roman Emperor’s secret society to uphold Christianity had admitted Vlad’s father Vlad II in 1410 to this Order of the Dragon. The word for dragon in Romanian is "drac" and "ul" is the definitive; Thus the most famous Vlad became Vlad Dracul or sometimes Vlad Tepes. Vlad The Impaler.

Romania has a love-hate relationship with Bram Stoker’s novel. Entrepreneurs once even considered a Dracula Park near Sighisoara where he was born but mercifully, this World Heritage site fought the concept and prevailed.

Nevertheless, as curious tourists we wandered Wallachia and Transylvania in search of Dracula -- and a good story.

We rode the trains for 4 ½ hours from Bucharest to Sighisoara, a hill town with all its 14th Century walls, nine towers, cobbled streets, and its Casa Dracula restaurant in the house where Vlad lived for his first four years – and of course his statue hiding around the corner behind the Church of the Dominican Monastery. But even without vampire legends this is a fascinating place, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. The main attraction, the clock tower with its 1648 clock dominates the tiny main square, the Piata Cetatii where, in ancient days, the town had farmers’ markets, craft fairs and public executions including impalement (those were cruel times). The Torture Room Museum was, thank goodness, closed during our visit but the History Museum, accessible as visitors climb up into the tower, had absorbing exhibits including a collection of antique medical instruments.

Far-off Sighisoara surely is authentic. The attraction of Dracula’s Castle in Bran, halfway between Sighisoara and Bucharest seems less so. It certainly brings in tourists but Vlad’s connection there is improbable. His real fortress lies destroyed on a high peak in Poenari to the north. Remoteness and the 1300 steps required to reach its courtyard diminish the passion of many who might search for Dracula there. A shorter tour from Bucharest, however, brought us to the island monastery in Lake Snagov, about an hour above the capital, where Vlad’s headless body was buried. Headless? His head was sent to Constantinople to satisfy Sultan Mehmed II of his death but where the body lies now is another story, the best one being Elizabeth Kostova’s stylish 2005 novel, The Historian.

Back in Bucharest we found two other traces of Dracula, one in the excavations of the ruined 15th-century Prince's Palace, the prince in question being Vlad himself; his bust stands mounted on a tall column the way he sometimes spiked the heads of his enemies -- when he hadn’t time to impale their bodies. The second attraction is less authentic but more fun: the Count Dracula Club, a touristy over-priced restaurant (bloody steaks a presumed delicacy) at 8A Splaiul Independentei Street. As the evening advances so does a black-cloaked, candelabra-bearing Dracula -- lurking among diners and paying especial attention to female guests.

if You Go

Although the Lonely Planet publishes Romania & Moldova, North America has few guidebooks to Eastern Europe. Romania’s tourist infrastructure isn’t well developed but the Romania New York office is helpful. We stayed at the Rembrandt Hotel a great Bucharest location at 11 Smardan Street; we paid about $160 a night through Expedia but booking with the hotel direct, though more difficult, would have been cheaper. Our 1st Class rail tickets were $40 each, round trip to Sighisoara. There we found clean, modest lodgings right inside the Citadel at 21 Euros a night with Marius Adam (Tel 40-265-771-203 marius_adam@yahoo.com). The Internet has much useful tourist information.