The best road cycling routes around Bucegi

The Queen's Chapel is a replica of the Stella Maris Chapel in Balchik, built in 1940 in Bran by Princess Ileana of Romania to house the vessel containing the heart of her mother, Queen Maria of Romania. Balchik had recently been ceded by Romania to Bulgaria. Marie Alexandra Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Born in 1875, she spent her youth in England. In 1893, she married Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Romania, who became King in 1914.

Bran Castle's current appearance, with its dramatic location and ominous atmosphere, has been created through numerous additions and modifications to the medieval fortifications. It provides the perfect backdrop for tourists who want to imagine Dracula's castle here.

The origins of Bran Castle (German: Törzburg) date back to the early 13th century, when it was initially built as a wooden fortress called Dietrichstein by the Teutonic Knights under the patronage of King Andrew II of Hungary to defend the strategically important pass between Transylvania and Wallachia against invading troops. In 1377, the Transylvanian Saxons of Kronstadt (Brașov) were granted the privilege of building a stone castle. This example of medieval architecture underwent numerous alterations and expansions over the centuries. In the 1920s, the castle became the residence of Queen Marie of Romania, who significantly altered and modernized its interior. Bran Castle's connection to the Dracula legend is a fascinating blend of history, literature, and folklore. Largely a product of the 20th century, this connection owes much to the atmospheric descriptions in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula." Although Stoker never visited Romania, his depiction of Dracula's castle was inspired by descriptions of Eastern European castles—and Bran Castle, with its dramatic location and menacing appearance, fits this vision remarkably well.

Queen Maria Alexandra Victoria of Romania was born on October 29, 1875 in Eastwell Park, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Tsar Alexander II of Russia. In 1893, Princess Maria married the heir to the Crown of Romania, Prince Ferdinand, and moved with him to the country. The personal charm and the desire to represent her country with pride made the Queen very popular with the people. In her will, the Queen asked for her body to be buried in Curtea de Arges, and her heart to be deposited in the "Stella Maris" chapel in Balchik. However, the Queen's wish was fulfilled only two years later, after the Quadrilateral was ceded to Bulgaria. As a result, the Queen's heart was brought to Bran. In this context, Princess Ileana ordered the construction of the "Queen Mary's Heart" chapel, the construction of which took a year. By the end of the chapel, which was to be similar to the one in Balchik, the Queen's heart was deposited in a rock near Bran Castle. After the establishment of the communist regime, the beautiful chapel in stone was devastated and left in ruins. In 1995, the chapel underwent restoration works, the purpose of which was to bring the heart of Queen Mary back to Bran. Currently, the chapel can be admired, but the interior cannot be visited. Excerpts from the Romanian; https://ghidlocal.com

If you only want to take a photo of the beautiful castle and don't want to deal with the hustle and bustle at the foot of the castle hill, there is a great vantage point

Excellent point to take pictures Bran Castle. Preferably in the afternoon when the light falls directly on the Castle

No better alternative to DN.

You can lose a good hour getting in here because there are so many tourists. There are also scammers who sell skip-the-line tickets for higher prices. Such a thing does not exist...