Transylvania

Every childhood lover of vampire movies will remember the chilling line, "I come from... Transylvania!" No other place is so easily identified with vampires as Transylvania. Bram Stoker made this area famous by making it the homeland of his fictional character Dracula. Vlad Tepes, a historical figure upon whom Dracula was loosely based, was from Transylvania.

Transylvania is territory in central Romania; in fact, it's the largest territory in the country. It's surrounded on three sides by the Carpathian mountains. Romania has strong Hungarian and German influences as well. One of the more famous cities in Transylvania is Sighisoara, a beautiful medieval town. Of particular interest in the town in the house where Prince Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad Tepes, was born.

Throughout history, Romania has enjoyed a rich folkloric belief in vampires, even up to one hundred years ago. Emily Gerard, a Scottish woman stationed with her husband in Transylvania, did extensive research into practices surrounding death. In her book, she says: "More decidedly evil is the nosferatu, or vampire, in which every Romanian peasant believes as firmly as he does in heaven or hell." (The Land Beyond The Forest, published 1888)

Although Transylvania is a integral part of Dracula, Bram Stoker never actually travelled there. He did, however, do extensive research before he chose it to be the site of Castle Dracula. The castle was a fictional addition to the countryside, thanks to Stoker. However, the attention it has garnered is very real. Today, millions of people journey to Romania, and many of them go on tours of the castles in the area. Tourism has become a big business in Transylvania, with lots of souvenirs available for those with money to spend.

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