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BRAN CASTLE Brasov,Romania Tzintziloglou Irene 1o ΛΥΚΕΙΟ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΟΥ-ΚΟΡΔΕΛΙΟΥ GREECE Bram Stoker‟s character, Dracula, is a Transylvanian Count with a castle located high above a valley perched on a rock with a flowing river below in the Principality of Transylvania. This character is often confused with Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), sometimes known as Vlad Dracul, who was a Walachian Prince with a castle, now in ruins, located in the Principality of Wallachia. Because Bran Castle is the only castle in all of Transylvania that actually fits Bram Stoker‟s description of Dracula‟s Castle, it is known throughout the world as Dracula‟s Castle. Chapter 2, May 5 of “Dracula” describes the Count‟s castle as “. . . on the very edge of a terrific precipice . . . with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm [with] silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests.” Bram Stoker never visited similar to Bran Castle and no other Romania. He depicted the in all of Romania. Stoker is widely imaginary Dracula‟s castle based purported to have used the upon a description of Bran Castle illustration of Bran Castle in that was available to him in turn-of Charles Boner‟s book, -the-century Britain. Indeed, the "Transylvania: Its Product and Its imaginary depiction of Dracula‟s People", (London: Longmans, Castle from the etching in the first 1865) to describe his imaginary edition of “Dracula” is strikingly Dracula's Castle. 67 Bram Stroker Irish Author