Private Castle-museum Dedicated to Dracula Opened in Romania

• A family with a tradition in tourism built a museum dedicated to Dracula with their own funds. The museum is located on Transfăgărășan, in the village of Căpățâneni-Ungureni in Arefu commune, Argeș county. Dracula Castle is open from December 1st
• The owners have invested in a particular offer area regarding landscapes, but without tourist attractions. The Poenari Fortress, located nearby, has been closed for a long time due to restoration reasons.

Helped by the fortress at the foot of the Poenari Citadel – the second residence of Vlad Țepeș – the castle is wanted as a way of spending free time in the area for both children and adults, both Romanians and foreigners.

A Dracula Castle in the area because Vlad Țepeș had a long stay here because we are near the Poenari Fortress, which is said to have been built on his orders by the boyars who were taken during Easter. According to the law, it’s a local name, and we use it by paying a license. We carry the legend further by naming Dracula Castle, but we have been using the name for several years since we expanded the tourist complex in the area. The name Dracula attracts. Romanian tourists, primarily foreigners who want to discover what Dracula means to Romanians, also cross our threshold.

Cristina Stanciu, the owner of the tourist complex and the castle museum.

Tourists are introduced to a genuine atmosphere from the reign of Vlad Țepeș through the castle decorations, stone and brick walls painted by folk craftsmen from the area, but also from Bihor and Harghita, objects that reproduce life from those times, exhibited in the museum, the Throne Hall where Vlad Țepeș and his boyars can be admired in life-size. Two screenings, one of which is an animation specially designed for children, will reveal aspects of the ruler’s life.

The museum is temporarily hosting the painting exhibition of master Valentin Tănase and will host travelling exhibitions of some Romanian artists.

On the Ramparts, visitors can see through a telescope the Poenari Citadel and the area’s mountainous surroundings, a ball cannon, and life-size soldiers.

We strive to offer visitors a unique experience in the museum; the visit here should be like a history lesson about the Romanian ruler and the legend of Dracula. It was a substantial investment in money and finding craftsmen to reproduce a castle, find suitable materials, and respect the pandemic’s restrictions because the construction site was opened before February 2020. We stopped keeping the records at around 500-600,000 euros because we realized that it’s not an essential amount, but our desire to offer tourists a pleasant time to spend when they arrive in the area.

Cristina Stanciu

Entrance to the castle costs 30 lei per person or 20 lei for groups larger than ten children. The castle was opened on December 1st, the hosts wanting to offer the guests on National Day the opportunity to rediscover one of the most famous Romanian rulers, Vlad Țepeș, in the stories told by historians and filmed testimonies, in costumes and the atmosphere created in the castle dedicated to him, in Romanian dishes and drinks.

The Stanciu family owns the Dracula tourist complex, which opened 26 years ago. It has a large accommodation capacity, a sports field, and a Spa center with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, salt pan, and sauna. It offers organized groups of tourists on their mountain vacation, mountain tours with a guide or trails, and the possibility of renting ATVs.

About 6 km from the complex are the Vidraru dam and lake, the famous tourist trail “Valley of Stan” and the statue of Prometheus.

Dracula Castle is located on Transfăgărășan, in the village of Căpățâneni-Ungureni in Arefu commune, Argeș county. The complex is 23 km from the historic city of Curtea de Argeş, 56 km from Pitesti, and 166 km from the capital.