From Legend to History
Exploring Dracula’s Legacy in HUNEDOARA, The Gate of Transylvania.
Given the rich history of Transylvania and its connections to Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration behind Dracula, it could offer fascinating insights into how legends shape our understanding of history. Dacre Calder Stoker, a descendant of Dracula’s original author Bram Stoker, has been sharing his interest in Transylvania’s heritage and landscapes with a group of history enthusiasts from the United States. A key stop in his journey includes Hunedoara’s Corvin Castle, often celebrated as a symbol of Transylvanian legend and lore, as highlighted in a recent social media post by the Corvin Castle Museum.
Bram Stoker’s original Dracula novel, published in 1897, tells the haunting tale of Count Dracula, a centuries-old vampire from Transylvania who travels to England with the intention of spreading the curse of the undead. The story follows Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, who journeys to Dracula’s castle to assist with a real estate transaction, only to discover the sinister intentions of his host. Soon, Harker’s fiancée, Mina, and her friend Lucy become entangled in Dracula’s dark influence.
A battle of good versus evil unfolds as Professor Abraham Van Helsing and his companions, including Harker, band together to stop Dracula from spreading his curse across Europe. The novel explores themes of fear, immortality, and the clash between ancient superstitions and modernity, cementing Dracula as one of the most iconic tales of horror and inspiring countless adaptations in literature, film, and culture.
This isn’t Stoker’s first visit to the castle. In June 2023, he led a similar tour, and back in 2015, he launched his novel Dracula: The Un-Dead there. This work serves as a modern continuation of the Dracula story originally created by his great-granduncle, Bram Stoker. After a distinguished career in sports, Dacre Stoker turned to writing, choosing to honor his family’s literary legacy through his novels and collaborations. His works, which include Dracula: The Un-Dead, Dracul (co-authored with J.D. Barker), The Virgin’s Embrace, and Dracula’s Bedlam, build on the themes of his ancestor’s famous vampire tale.
His passion for Romania’s history and landscapes has brought him back to the country numerous times. This year, Stoker is a featured guest at the Dracula Film Festival, an international event celebrating the supernatural in film, held in Brasov from October 30 to November 3, 2024. Photo courtesy of Corvin Castle Museum Facebook. Join the 👑 King Travel TEAM 🤴 for a Sighișoara City Break and experience the birthplace of Dracula ✟ From Legend to History.