The Vampires ar a rase that had existed since the Dark Ages. One of the most known vampires is an XV-th century romanian leader.

In 1447, his father, Vlad Dracul was assasinated  by the Danesti family and with the support of John Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara),  Vladislav II captured the Wallachian throne.  Mircea, Dracula's eldest brother,  had been tortured and  buried alive by the boyars (nobles) of Targoviste. In  1448 with the Turks support, Vlad Tepes managed to seize the throne, but lasted  only two month. Hunyadi forced Dracula to surrender the throne to Vladislav II  (known as Vlad II). Dracula fleed to Moldavia, where remained until 1451 when  Prince Bogdan of Moldavia was assasinated,  and Vlad was forced to flee to  Transylvania and asked his enemy, John Hunyadi, for protection. Hunyadi accepted  the allegiance and Dracula became Hunyadi's vassal and received his father's old  Transylvanian duchies of Fagaras and Almas. He remained in Transylvania until  1456.

Fifteenth century Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes is  credited with being Dracula, the vampire-count featured in the classic horror  story Dracula (1897) written by novelist Bram Stroker. Romanians make no  association between the vampire and the historical figure of prince Vlad III,  known in his homeland as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), prince of Wallachia  three times, in 1448, 1456-1462 and 1475. Vlad achieved renown beyond  Wallachia's borders as a successful fighter against the Turks and a ruthless  ruler. Notorious for his brutal punishment methods, he gained the name Tepes  (impaler) after his favourite form of punishing his enemies - impaling on a  wooden stake. His method of law enforcement was simple: all crimes and  individuals offending him were punished by death.The offenders would have to die  in agony. Impaling was not unique in Europe. Tepes first cousin, Stephen the  Great, is said to have impaled over 2300 Turkish prisoners in 1473.

Commonly known as Dracula's Castle, the Bran  Castle was originally a stronghold built by the Knights of Teutonic Order in  1212. The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on  November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilage to  build the Citadel. The building started in 1378 as a defense against Turks and  later became a customs post on the pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. From  1920 the castle became a royal residence until the expulsion of the royal family  in 1948. On 1st October 1950, the Bran Castle was declared a historical  monument. Today it functions as a very attractive museum of medieval  arts.