Dracula Castle

Dracula Castle

A family with a tradition in tourism has built a museum dedicated to Dracula with their own funds. The museum is located on the Transfăgărășan, in the village of Căpățâneni-Ungureni, in the commune of Arefu, Argeș County. Dracula Castle has been open since December 1st.

The owners invested in an area with exceptionally attractive landscapes but lacked notable tourist attractions. The nearby Poenari Citadel is closed for an extended period due to renovation works.

Due to its positioning at the foot of Poenari Citadel, the second residence of Vlad the Impaler, Dracula Castle aims to provide a leisure experience for both children and adults, both Romanians and foreigners.

“When we expanded the tourist complex in the area, we decided to name the castle Dracula because Vlad the Impaler had a long stay here, and we are near Poenari Citadel. The name Dracula attracts Romanian and foreign tourists who want to discover the significance of Dracula for Romanians,” says Cristina Stanciu, the owner of the tourist complex and the castle-museum.

Visitors are immersed in the atmosphere of Vlad the Impaler’s reign through the castle’s decorations, painted stone and brick walls created by local craftsmen, as well as those from Bihor and Harghita. Objects exhibited in the museum replicate life from those times, and the Throne Room features life-size statues of Vlad the Impaler and his boyars. Two projections, including one specially designed for children, reveal aspects of the ruler’s life.

The museum temporarily hosts the painting exhibition of the master Valentin Tănase and will feature itinerant exhibitions of Romanian artists. From the ramparts, visitors can observe Poenari Citadel and the mountainous surroundings through a telescope, a ball cannon, and life-size soldiers.

“We strive to offer visitors a unique experience, a history lesson about the Romanian ruler and the Dracula legend. Our investment was not only financial but also a sustained effort to find suitable craftsmen and adhere to pandemic restrictions since the construction site was open before February 2020,” specifies Cristina Stanciu.

The entrance to the castle costs 30 lei per person or 20 lei for groups of more than 10 children. The castle was inaugurated on December 1st, offering guests the opportunity to rediscover the figure of Vlad the Impaler in historical stories, filmed testimonies, costumes, and the atmosphere in the castle, alongside Romanian food and drinks, even on National Day.

The Stanciu family owns the Dracula tourist complex, open for 26 years, with a large accommodation capacity, sports fields, a Spa center with a pool, jacuzzi, salt room, and sauna. They also offer guided mountain trails or the possibility to rent ATVs for organized groups of tourists coming for a mountain vacation. Just 6 km away is the Vidraru Dam and Lake, the famous tourist route “Valea lui Stan,” and the statue of Prometheus.

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