Within the territory of Bran commune there is an historical and architectural jewel. Bran Castel, known worldwide as the Dracula?s Castle, in the 630th year of its life, is today in the middle of a passionate dispute. Claimed and acquired by a descendent of the Royal Family of Romania, it became the must expensive castle in the world after its recent owner announced he wants to sell it for 60 million euros.
The myth of Dracula, born within the castle?s walls and responsible for the invasion of tourists, seems to have determined such a huge price.
Built by the Saxons
The mayor of Bran, Gheorghe Hermeneanu, keeps fighting since long ago to include the castle into the patrimony of the County Council Brasov or made it return into the
patrimony of the Ministry of Culture.
?The castle was built in 1377 by the Saxons of Brasov, ?by their own means?, according to the allowance given by King Louis I d?Anjou of Hungary. In spite of the dministrative readjustments, Bran still remains connected to Brasov. It was built and defended by the people of Tara Barsei, therefore the community that possessed it for centuries deserves to have it again?.
A Gift to Queen Mary
At the 1st December 1920, two years after the Great Gathering of Alba Iulia that celebrated the Great Union, the Royal House of Romania was given the castle by the community of Brasov. Across the years, Queen Mary invested the Crown money in several internal decorations, without affecting the austerity specific to a defence castle. She also setup a park and several pavilions. In 1948, Bran Castle was confiscated by the communist regime. It took almost 6 decades to the Royal Family to regain possession on it in 2006.
Austrian Credit
Fearing a real estate speculation, both the authorities of Bran and Brasov had recourse to the competence of a Spanish company, specialized in castles? administration. There are several versions regarding the way the castle will operate in the future. The president of the County Council Brasov, Aristotel Cancescu, showed the county?s availability to obtain a 2.7 million euros credit from an Austrian bank and to trade with the Ministry of Culture, so that the latter could become the owner, while the county council the administrator of the castle.
