Bran Castle

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The first documentary attestation dates from 1377, when Ludovic I D'Anjou gave the inhabitants of Brasov the privilege to build the citadel in the place of the old stronghold. Then, between 1419 and 1424, it was in Sigismund's possession.At the end of the 15th century, it was subordinated to the authority of the Szeklers Committee, and since the reign of Iancu of Hunedoara, it passed under the rule of the Voivode of Transylvania.

On 1st December 1920, the Bran Castle was donated to Queen Marie of Great Romania, as a symbol of the inhabitants of Brasov's gratitude for her contribution to the achievement of the Great Union of 1918. Right after that, the Castle came into a seven year restoration period under the guidance of the Royal Court architect, Carol Liman. He imagined the architectural ensemble as a summer residence.

During the same period of time the Tea House was also built. During this restoration works, the Castle was supplied with running water from a 57 meters depth fountain dig up in a rock and lighted by a turbine electric power plant. Later, in 1932, the Bran, Simon and Moeciu villages were lighted on from this electric power plant. Then, in 1938, Queen Marie left with will the Bran Castle to Princess Ileana, who owned it until 1948.

Retroceded to Dominic of Habsburg
After King Mihai abdicated and the Royal House was expelled, the castle became the propriety of the state, being abandoned and devastated. Only in 1996 was it restored as a History and Medieval Art Museum. In 1987, the restoration process of the castle began and was finished in 1993. In 2006 the castle was retroceded to Dominic of Habsburg, Princess Ileana's successor. In the winter of 2007, the new owner set it on sale. Due to the fact that the District Council of Brasov wanted to buy back the castle, the lawyers that were dealing with this transaction asked for the price of 60000 euro.

After an investigation performed by a parliamentary commission, the conclusion drawn was that the retrocession of the castle to Dominic of Habsburg was not carried out obeying all the legal procedures.In the end, Bran Castle has become officially Dominic of Habsburg's propriety since 18th May 2009, when the lawyers of the Habsburg House and the leadership of the museum signed the proceedings that stipulate the fact that the castle belongs to Dominic. Being Queen Marie's nephew and Princess Ileana's son, Dominic of Habsburg acquired Bran Castle nearly after 6 decades, as his family was forced to leave the country by the Communist Regime.

He was only 10 years when this happened.After the Minister of Culture and Cults has withdrawn most of the items from Bran Castle, these have been eventually replaced by furniture pieces that used to belong to the Habsburg family. The most valuable ones are The Crown, the Sceptre and a golden dagger and they all belonged to King Ferdinand.

We might mention also a portrait of Princess Ileana with her signature upon it, a bed cover, several furniture items and a guest book that belonged to Queen Marie. The certain book was offered to her in 1920 by the community from Brasov and contains the impressions of all personalities from the country and abroad that had passed the threshold of the castle during nearly three decades. « mai multe referate din Engleza