Bran Castle: The Truth Behind the "Vampire" Legend

Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle, is located in central-western Romania, about 30 km from Brasov. Bran Castle gained fame thanks to the late 19th-century novel *Dracula* by Irish author Bram Stoker. The novel, set in Bran Castle, tells the story of the vampire Count Dracula. This work has been adapted into film numerous times, making Bran Castle a symbol of vampire culture. The castle's architectural features include four corner towers. These towers were originally used to store gunpowder or were equipped with trapdoors through which boiling water could be poured onto enemies besieging the castle. The towers are connected by corridors, and the outer walls of the corridors have loopholes, ensuring no blind spots when firing.