Google is celebrating Bram Stoker

Here is the doodle of the day: 

Bram Stoker is the author of "Dracula", the novel that made the Wallachian ruler famous worldwide.

Hotel Transylvania

Check this out: http://www.welcometohotelt.com/site/ (a site by Sony pictures). At least the animation is cool

Vlad Tepes Movie, 1982 (English subtitles)

I dare to consider this a great discovery and a great addition for  the media library: Vlad Tepes movie, from 1982. Is the full movie here and what is good about this is that it has subtitles in English. 
In order to better understand the movie, I'd recommend spending some time (10 - 15 minutes) to read a little the life of Vlad Dracula (follow the links at the end of each post to read through different parts of his life).
The movie starts with the second reign of Vlad, starting with 1456, when he enters Wallachia with his troops and regains Wallachia's throne after killing Vladislav II (the movie in fact presents a boyar killing Vladislav II and than being killed by Vlad, for betrayal)

Dracula Society

I just found out about Dracula Society. They are founded in 1973 by Bruce Wightman and Bernard Davies and have a website.

Writer and historian Radu Florescu, writer Raymond T. McNally, Nicolae Paduraru founder of Transylvania Society of Dracula are just some of the honorary members.

Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally are real Vlad Dracula experts and they were consulted for the documentary that Discovery channel realized few years ago.

Vlad Dracula in Transylvania

John Hunyadi seems to have tolerated the fact that Vlad found a shelter in Transylvania because he was afraid Vlad could go ask the Turks for protection. But was not a good moment for that. The new sultan, that will remain in history as Mehmed II the Conqueror, son of Murad II, was preparing the siege over Constantinople and for this he needed to conclude the peace with Hungary and Austria. On November, 20^th, 1451 he signed a three years armistice with Hungary. This was also considering the position of Vladislav, principle of Wallachia. His throne was "guaranteed" until the end of the armistice, and if he dies before the end of the armistice no part would have the power to nominate a principle, therefore they will respect the one that the country will choose.

Therefore on the letter that John Hunyadi sends to the inhabitants of Brasov on February, 6th, 1452 he announce that he has signed a non-beligerance agreement, therefore he will do nothing against Vladislav. Because he knows that Vlad lives in Brasov and prepares to conquer the Wallachian throne without letting him (Hunyadi) know and against his wish.

In 1456 Dracula obtains the throne again for his second and longest reign

Snagov Monastery

Here is a short slideshow with images from Snagov Monastery, where Vlad Dracula's grave was supposed to be. However, the argue around Dracula's tomb is still ongoing and, as the battle in which he died took place south from Bucharest, it might be another monastery than Snagov the one where people took his body after the fight. and that one might be Comana.

Romanian History denied DNA examination

Recently, the ministry of culture started the project GENESIS, which aims to clarify some aspects of Romanian history.
DNA samples were supposed to be taken from some bones belonging to Basarab dynasty. Vlaicu Vodă's grave from Biserica Domnească, in the town of Curtea de Argeș was the first to be opened, on June 27th 2012, after 700 years. Vlaicu Vodă, alias Vladislav I of Wallachia was the ruler of Wallachia between 1364 – 1377 and was succeeded on throne by Radu I and belonged to the House of Basarab, as well as Vlad Dracula. Here is a short movie from the exhumation (in Romanian):

For more details please refer to this short history of Wallachia


Researchers were then supposed to open the grave of Mircea I the Elder, grandfather of Vlad III, however the new minister of culture, Puiu Hasotti, denied authorization for DNA samples.

Dracula Castle in sand

Isn't this hilarious :


A sand sculpture of Dracula and Dracula's Castle.





Well, the effort is remarkable (the guy seems evil and the castle looks cool), but it looks nothing like Bran Castle  or any  other castle I know from the Carpathians.

Dracula Climbing Route

While reading a Climbing  magazine yesterday, I read about a route called Dracula. Nice. Here is the description:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Oregon/Portland_Metro_Area/Broughton_Bluff/Bat_Wall/Dracula_8474.html

While looking for it, I found another one, called Count Dracula

Article on Transylvania

Today I found this nice article about Transylvania.

Sighisoara - old pictures

Well, while we cannot have pictures from the medieval Sighișoara, we can definitely enjoy this images from 100 years ago with the fortified citadel. The layout of the fortified town was characteristic to the German towns from the late middle-ages. Let's not forget that the first documentary attestation of Sighișoara is from 1291, under the name Castrum Sex ("the town on the hill").

dracula toon

I found this funny picture on the Internet yesterday:

Draculists