A Dark and Stormy Night; Gothic Reads: Bran Castle and Leap Castle

Winter view of Bran Castle

Bran Castle is located in Romania, about 15 miles southwest of Brasov in the Carpathian Mountains. It was originally built in 1377 to protect the city from invasion, and today the castle is more commonly referred to as “Dracula’s Castle.” This is because it was once the residence of Prince Vlad Tepes, son of Vlad Dracul, whom was a knight of the Dragon Order. Vlad used to sign his name as ” The Devil’s Son.” He is most famous for being the basis for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Vlad Tepes was a strong ruler of Wallachia between the years of 1456 and 1462. He was successful because he increased trade and the strength of the army.

Ariel view Bran Castle

He was ruthless against anyone who stood before him, this especially turned out to be true in his battles against the Ottoman Empire. Vlad was also known to impale his captives on long spears, most of the time as they were still alive. This was a horrible way to die, mostly because it would take hours to die at best. In the courtyard there is a hidden tunnel covered by a fountain that goes 50 meters below ground. Guests who have visited the castle have reported hearing moans and screams coming from the tunnel. The spirit of Vlad is also believed to haunt the castle, where he is most often seen in the chamber he once used. People who have taken pictures there have developed strange mists and light streaks in them.

(Source: Belanger, Jeff. Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. 2005.)

Interior view Bran Castle

Bran Castle

Leap Castle Ireland:

A tower fortress built by the O'Bannon Clan in the late 15^th century, County Offaly, Ireland. It guarded a strategic mountain pass. Eventually the O'Carroll clan took posession of the fortress and lived there for many years. They were not exactly model citizens, killing family and foe alike over struggles for possession of the fortress. In the 16^th century O'Carroll of the Leap invited the rural septs of the clan to a banquet. They never went home, all were slaughtered. A Ghostly Priest haunts the 'Bloody Chapel" he was killed by his brother and the room took the name from that incident. A young girl, an evil elemental, and various others are also said to haunt the castle. In 1922, while doing restoration work on the castle a small secret dungeon was found, it was a room with a drop floor behind the 'Bloody chapel', after falling eight feet down the unlucky person met the spikes on the floor. It took three cartloads to remove all the human remains from the room. Just the kind of folks you want for neighbors, right?