Bran, Brașov

English Project

Student:BRATU BogdanelGrupa:8213

BranBran (German: Törzburg; Hungarian

: Törcsvár) is a commune in Brașov County, Romania. It lies at 30 km from the city ofBrașov and is composed of five villages: Bran, Poarta (Porta), Predeluț (Kispredeál), Șimon (Simon) and Sohodol (Szohodol).

The medieval Bran Castle, which was once besieged by Vlad the Impaler, is a popular tourist destination, partly because it resembles the home of Dracula in Bram Stoker's famous novel.[1]

History

The Teutonic Order began construction of a wooden fort known as Dietrichstein in the early 13th century. After the fort's destruction in 1242 by Mongols, King Sigismund of Hungary ordered the construction of a stone castle in 1377, while the settlement of Bran began to develop nearby. Positioned high atop a steep cliff, the castle guarded a strategic trade route between Transylvania and Wallachia. In 1498, Bran fell under the jurisdiction of Braşov.[2]

Bran

Bran Castle is one of Romania's most popular visitor sites, made famous in modern times when Queen Marie restored it after receiving it from the residents of Brașov County in the 1920s. The castle is open to tourists, who can view the inside alone or as part of a guided tour. Outside the castle are examples of traditional Romanian farm houses and peasant homes.

ArchitectureInitially, the Bran Castle was a city of "transient"

military purpose, irregular quadrilateral. In time, the city has undergone many changes such as adding the south tower (in 1622 Prince Gabriel Bethlen plans), construction of a rectangular tower to the east, and between 1883 and 1886 the roof was covered with tiles. [Citation needed]

The city was transformed into a castle in 1920 when it was owned by Queen Mary, during which they performed the most important restoration