브란 성(Castelul Bran. Bran Castle. 드라큘라 성). 브란(Bran)

브란 성(Castelul Bran. Bran Castle. 드라큘라 성).

브란(Bran). 루마니아(Romania)

bran-castle.com

Anticamera Dormitorului Reginei Maria

(Antechamber to Queen Marie's Bedroom)

Regina Maria a Romaniei (1914-1938)

Queen Marie of Romania (1914-1938)

Marie Alexandra Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born on October 29th, 1875 and spent her childhood years at Eastwell Park in Kent. She was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and of Alexander II of the Romanov dynasty, Tsar of Russia. In 1893, she married Prince Ferdinand I of Romania at 18 years of age. Her first born son became the first Christian Orthodox king of Romania, King Carol II. At the end of the First World War, on October 15, 1922, she became Queen of Greater Romania, crowned in the cathedral in Alba-lulia. The Queen's crown was inspired by Romanian medieval princesses' crowns, and was made, symbolically, of Transylvanian gold. Marie, Queen of all Romanians, died on July 18th 1938, passing from her people's hearts into a legend.

Marie-the Queen who united Romania

Queen Marie played a decisive role in Romania's entry into the First World War alongside the Allied Powers. She was the one who convinced King Ferdinand I to turn his back on his home country, Germany. Queen Marie went, uninvited, escorted by Ionel Bratianu, the Liberal Prime-Minister, to the Paris Peace Conference, in order to force the Allied Powers to accept the unification of the Romanian provinces. The presence of the Queen influenced the decision of the presidents of the US, France and other Allied nations to grant Romania the unification with Transylvania, Bessarabia, and other Romanian-speaking territories, more than any political discourse. In 1917, the French press correspondents declared: "There is only one man in Romania, and that's the Queen". Following the Versailles Treaty, Queen Marie became an international political figure.

 

 

The Soldier Queen

Queen Marie was the first woman to be named Commander of a Romanian military regiment. She symbolically led the 4th Rosiori Regiment, a cavalry unit formed in 1916, that participated in the Bucuresti, Marasti and Oituz battles. Queen Marie was named the Soldier Queen following her courageous acts and was awarded the French "La Croix de Guerre". Queen Marie used her own financial resources to assure the care of the wounded and asked her family and friends to send medical supplies from abroad. Dressed in a nurse's uniform, she was known also as the Mother of the Wounded. Risking her life, she went into the trenches, amongst the soldiers and the typhus patients, in order to support and encourage the Romanian army and mobilize Red Cross volunteers, a newly established organization in Romania. Her sacrifices were rewarded once she was crowned Queen of all Romanians in 1922.

 

 

A true romantic

An art, literature and theatre lover, Queen Marie was fascinated, since childhood, with everything beautiful. Having a strong aesthetic sense and advanced artistic education, Marie was in charge of decorating the royal residences and became an interior designer, who had her own style, that was easily recognizable. Her favorite project remained Bran Castle, the medieval jewel she received as a gift from the people of Brasov. There she summoned all her creative forces and transformed it "from a blind thing, into a home with many eyes looking over the world". The Queen invited the most brilliant minds of the after-war period to visit. Bran Castle was decorated in a unique, timeless style, that became the "Queen Marie" style. The same style that makes it unique, and places it amongst the world's most memorable residences. Subtle painter and writer of memoirs, prose and children's books, the Queen is recognized as one of the most complex artistic personalities of her time.

Document stating the donation of Bran Castle to Queen Marie of Romania, issued by the City Council of Brasov, 1920

Dear visitors,

We invite you to vote for the most beautiful work in the "Baba Alba" Exhibition, made by the art students from "Margareta Sterian" High School in Buzau. Their drawings will illustrate "Baba Alba", a story written by Queen Marie.

The series includes the following stories, all written by Queen Marie and illustrated by students from several art schools in the country: "The Sunchild", "The Child with the Blue Eyes", "The Orphan Girl", on the Tail of the Comet", "A Christmas Tale", "The Shepherd and the Princess" and "Parintele Simeon's Wonder-book".

All those wonderful books, bilingual editions, can be found at "Regina" book shop, inside Bran Castle.

Thank you !

 

 

 

 

 

Dormitorul Reginel Maria a Romaniei

(Queen Marie of Romania's Bedroom)

The two iron doors opening towards the Queen's bedroom are the oldest interior element of the Castle, dating back to 1693. This chamber was decorated by the Queen with two byzantine triforia that were sculpted in marble and brought in from Greece. on the walls alongside the steps and in the bedroom, fragments of the Castle's original paintings can still be seen; these date back to the time before the restoration done by the Queen.

 

 

 

 

 

 Camera de Trecere (The Hallway)

It draws its name from the days it connected the Queen's chambers on the 1st floor. In medieval times, it served as the vestibule to the Castle's chapel, which used to be in the next chamber. Today, the hallway is dedicated to the Castle's history in the 19th century and to temporary exhibitions.

 

 

 

Cetatea Bran intre 1600-1800

(Bran Fortress between 1600-1800)

The history of the 17th and 18th centuries were marked by two key moments: 1651-the year the town of Brasov became Bran fortress's rightful owner "forever and irrevocably" and 1691-the year Transylvania fell under the rule of the Habsburg Empire. The Diploma Leopoldinum of 1691 confirms all the privileges previously awarded to the Transylvanian princes. The region's old laws had remained intact: the Saxons and Szeklers had maintained their privileges and the town of Brasov had remained the owner of Bran fortress and its domains. However, changes were implemented on an economic level, where the Habsburg politics applied, thus, in 1706, the Austrian state took control over the Bran custom houses. After 1750 the fortress lost its attributes, commercial activity was restricted by the Austrian customs officer, the Empire's feudal crisis meant an increase in taxes and the fortress garrison was replaced by military. These measures, which weakened the fortress's military role, led to an inevitable decline at the end of the 19th century.

 Inscription from the 17th century

The inscription above the main entrance dates back to 1622, the "Chatelaine's vow" spoken when a new custodian was sworn into office. It is written in old, medieval German and it is a metaphor in verses. This inscription marks the extension of the fortress, as well, which was done in the same period:

If a bird builds a nest

To lay its eggs in it

Then, it never flies away again

But stays in it

On the eggs in its nest

Even while strangled

Intrepretation: Just like a bird sits in its nest, guarding its eggs at any cost, the chatelain shall never leave the fortress, choosing to die under its crumbling walls.

 The events of 1651

Bran fortress was under the rule of Brasov since 1498, according to an encumbrance contract, signed by the Hungarian King Wladyslaw II. The town of Brasov had to fight hard in order to become the owner of Bran domain. The process included proofs of building the fortress, of maintenance expenses accumulated in time and property titles of the edifice. The Transylvanian prince was aware of the fortress's military role and of Brasov's economic growth, which had the necessary resources for its improvement. As a result, in April 25th 1651, Brasov became the rightful owner of Bran fortress and its' domain, after a century and a half of seizure, on the basis of an acquisition contract, issued by the Transylvanian prince Gheorghe Rackoczi II.

 The architectural evolution

The architecture of Bran Castle has been continuously transforming in its 650 years of existence. According to the historical sources, during the first stage, the fortress had only one tower on the western side, with a lookout path and a banister erected directly on the rock. Until 1535 two more towers were erected: the East tower and the donjon. In 1622, the fortress got extended with the South tower and the donjon became higher with the addition of a pediment. At the same time the inner yard was fortified, the defence walls were doubled and a new entrance was created, overlapping the old one. The inscription from 1723 placed on the donjon, attests the renovation during which the donjon was heightened to its current level and the windows got their deep crenel openings. These changes were followed by the ones made during the Russo-Turkish war, in the 19th century and last but not least, the transformation realised by Queen Marie after 1920

 

 

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