Separating fact from fiction on a visit to Transylvania
<p>There can be few places in the world where myth and marketing have so completely overshadowed reality as they have in Transylvania.</p>
<p>It doesn't matter how much one repeats the mantra that vampires have as much to do with this mountainous region of Romania as the Loch Ness monster has to do with Lake Tekapo, the associations linger on... like a set of teeth marks.</p>
<p>Transylvania happily trades on its association with Dracula although they do make some effort to retain some historical integrity by emphasising that the Dracula legend probably stems from stories surrounding the real and possibly even bloodier character of Vlad the Impaler.</p>
<p>Fact and fiction still collide in an historically muddled collecting of t-shirts, mugs and fake teeth dripping blood in the souvenir market beneath Bran Castle, a 14th century fortress perched on a cliff about an hour's drive from the Transylvanian town of Brasov.</p>
<p>The castle, which seems to grow out of its rock foundations is historically significant as part of the region's defences against the invading Ottoman Turks during the century and more recently as the last royal summer residence of Romanian royalty. The last king, Michael, was forced to abdicate in 1947.</p>
<p>On a Romanian summer's long holiday weekend Bran was thronged with local tourists but the castle offers special after hours tours complete with a generous tasting of local wine (red of course). The tour guide appears dramatically from behind a curtain, a reincarnated Vlad.</p>
<p>Such impersonations are often disasters, twee and painful. However, "Vlad" not only had an in-depth knowledge of Transylvanian history but had a wonderfully dry sense of humour and only once descended into stereotyping by offering to bite my neck.</p>
<p>I've read several guidebooks that touring Bran's interior was not worthwhile. I disagree. The rooms are now beautifully restored, the views across the countryside beyond are spectacular and the castle's history is fascinating in itself, even if the real Vlad the Impaler apparently only stayed here a few nights while fleeing the Turks in 1462.</p>
<p>Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia was a 15th century ruler who became a folk hero for defending the territories of Romania and Bulgaria from the incursions of the Turks. He was later dubbed Vlad the Impaler because of his favoured method of execution which, it's estimated, brought a grisly end to up to 100,000 people.</p>
<p>Our Vlad, shortly before escorting us up a secret staircase while wryly pointing out that as we were about to troop up it, the secret aspect of it was somewhat lost, explained the two reasons Bran is now indelibly linked with Dracula.</p>
<p>The first is that the author of the original Dracula story, Irishman Bram Stoker, when writing about Dracula's lair, in Transylvania, seem to rather accurately describe Bran (possibly after seeing an illustration in an early guide to the region).</p>
<p>"And the second," said 'Vlad', "appears to be the result of a group of American tourists some decades ago imploring their guide to show them Dracula's castle. There was, of course no such thing but not wanting to disappoint them he brought them to Bran and as they say, the rest is now history… or not."</p>
<p>On the border of Transylvania and the neighbouring region of Wallachia is another spectacular building with royal connections, Peles Castle.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33369/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (69)"/></p>
<p>Built between 1873 and 1914, Peles is more accurately a palace and was built for the Romanian king of the time, Carol I. Featuring about 170 rooms and 30 bathrooms, it was a costly exercise; in today's money the construction bill would amount to about $NZ165m.</p>
<p>The style is a blend of Neo-Renaissance and Gothic Revival with towers, balconies and a central courtyard decorated with frescoes. Many of the rooms have an international flavour, being decorated in Italian, Moorish and even, rather ironically given the region's long history repelling the Ottomans, Turkish, styles.</p>
<p>Bran and Peles tend to steal the limelight from Transylvania's other treasures, its medieval towns such as Sighisoara and Sibiu.</p>
<p>Sighisoara doesn't entirely escape the Dracula phenomenon, having been the birthplaces of the historical figure Vlad the Impale. However, with its pastel-coloured houses, winding cobblestoned streets and medieval walls and towers (each of which named after the artisans' guild given the responsibility for its upkeep) it is a captivating place to explore.</p>
<p>I spent some time here ensconced in a cellar because Sighisoara is the home of the best producers of Transylvanian brandies. Teo Coroian's pear, apple and plum brandies, together with a berry liqueur, pack quite a punch and have been produced by his family for over 200 years. He has a wall full of international awards too. I'd make a lousy judge because each one appeared to me to be better than the last.</p>
<p>En route for Sibiu we stopped in Saschiz, a small Romanian village surrounded by fields of sunflowers and corn where farmers were still using horses and carts on the main roads. Ducks swam in the stream that flowed between the houses and elderly residents sat on benches outside their houses to watch the world go by.</p>
<p>Sibiu, a city founded by German settlers known as the Transylvania Saxons, has not one, but three town squares. What arrests visitors most however, is the curious impression that one is being constantly watched.</p>
<p>Many of the houses which once were home to wealth merchants have steeply pitched roofs to provide ample storage for goods. These attics were lit by tiny almond-shaped windows that look eerily like heavy-lidded eyes.</p>
<p>A former European Union Capital of Culture, Sibiu hosts more festivals and craft fairs than any other place in Romania. Outside the Gothic Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral built between 1300 and 1520, artisan blacksmiths were at work, one crafting beautiful roses from iron.</p>
<p>Inside the church an organist was practising on a baroque instrument built in 1671 which after additions in 1917, now features more than 6000 pipes, making it the largest pipe organ in south-eastern Europe.</p>
<p>Only a few glittering façade pipes could be seen form the nave, which rather sums up Transylvanian …a place of hidden depths behind its more lurid exterior.</p>
<p>Have you ever been to Transylvania?</p>
<p><em>Written by Jill Worrall. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span>.</strong></a></em></p>
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