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Bran Castle Facts & Worksheets

Bran Castle, situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Brașov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania.

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Bran Castle, situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Brașov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73.

See the fact file below for more information on Bran Castle or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Bran Castle worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY OF BRAN CASTLE

  • Bran Castle is a fortress that was constructed in the Medieval Times.
  • The original name of the castle was “Dietrichstein”, and it was mentioned as far back as 1212. The name Dietrichstein was likely the builder of the castle, as a 1509 historical document states that the castle once belonged to a commander of the same name.
  • The original castle was built along a trade route (called Bran Pass) across the Carpathian Mountains.
  • It was built on a strategic site overlooking a popular mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia (the historical and geographic region of Romania).
  • The name “Bran Castle” was mentioned in an act that was issued by Louis I of Hungary on November 19th, 1377.
  • The act authorized the castle to be built as a defense against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.
  • The castle was completed in 1388, and guards defeated an Ottoman army advance there in 1441.
  • In 1448, Vlad III (also known as “Vlad the Impaler” or “Vlad Dracula”) became prince of Wallachia, and stories of his cruelty and torture towards his people inspired the famous title character of Bram Stoker’s gothic horror novel Dracula, who was said to have lived on an empty mountain top, which many people associate with the location of Bran Castle.
  • During the 1620s, many modifications were made to the castle, and for hundreds of years, it served as a fortress, falling into disrepair from approximately 1880 onwards.
  • In 1920, the city where Bran Castle is located, Brasov, allowed Queen Marie of Greater Romania to restore the castle as a royal summer residence. She spent many years there and added an outbuilding to the property called the “Tea House” (which later became a restaurant).
  • During World War II, the castle was run as a hospital by Princess Ileana (who inherited the castle from her mother, Queen Marie).
  • In 1948, under control by the communist regime in Romania, the royal family was expelled, and the castle was turned into a museum.
  • The castle was returned to Princess Ileana’s son, Dominic von Habsburg, on May 18th, 2006, after a long legal battle.
  • Despite belonging to Dominic von Habsburg, the Romanian state (primarily the Ministry of Culture) administered over it for a few years following the ruling. It has since been refurbished and reopened as a private museum to attract tourism to the village of Bran and boost the local economy.
  • As of today, Bran Castle is still open to the public as a museum (largely devoted to Queen Marie of Romania) and is also a popular site for special Halloween events and a symbolic residence for fans of the legend of Dracula.

GEOGRAPHY AND LOCATION OF BRAN CASTLE

  • Bran Castle is nestled among the Transylvanian Alps in the Carpathian Mountains in the Bran Pass.
  • The Bran Pass links the counties of Brasov and Arges.
  • The development of the castle as a setting for Dracula was due mostly to Bram Stoker’s imagination, coming up with dark and intimidating details to convey a mysterious and eerie setting.
  • Historians believe that Bran Castle was chosen as the location of Vlad III’s imprisonment due to its more “haunting and dramatic looking structure” as opposed to other castles in the region.
  • The castle itself was built atop a 200-foot high rock, overlooking the village of Bran.
  • The outside of the castle is complete with towers and turrets, as well as a picturesque courtyard, charming parks, and unique architectural Elements – it is stunningly well-preserved.
  • Some features of Bran Castle include narrow winding stairways, rooms connected with underground passages, secret stairwells (one connecting the first and third floors, seen below to the left), and more than 60 rooms.
  • The castle houses collections of historically significant furniture and other pieces, weapons and armor that date from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and valuable pieces of Medieval art.
  • In addition, the castle holds exquisitely painted icons, statues, ceramics, and silverware.
  • Many visitors feel like they are traveling to a mythical land, or taking a step back in time when they visit Bran Castle and the surrounding area.

Bran Castle Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Bran Castle across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Bran Castle worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Bran Castle, situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Brașov, which is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Elements of a Castle
  • Bran Castle Crossword
  • A Night in Bran Castle
  • Medieval Math!
  • Bran Castle Wordsearch
  • Where in the World?
  • Bran Castle Quiz
  • Opinion Piece
  • Castle Coloring Page
  • Magnificent Castle Poetry

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Link will appear as Bran Castle Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 29, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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