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| Brasov, Transylvania |
As a child, I have been terrified by the story of the lord of the vampires- Count Dracula. It’s funny because while I want to watch Dracula films, my eyes are close most of the time. However, as a Sesame Street kid, I also remember Count Dracula teaching us to count from 1 to 10. Ha-ha...
In my younger years, I’ve always thought that Transylvania is just a mythical place until I’ve heard that it’s actually a region in central Romania. I guess, if anybody would pay Romania a visit, it’s impossible not to visit Transylvania.
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| Lake in Carpathians |
Transylvania is said to be the heart of the kingdom of Dacia, which ruled the region from 82 BC until the Roman Empire conquered the territory in 106 AD. By 271 AD, the Romans started to withdraw from the region and several tribes gained power and influence over it successively. Toward the end of 900 AD, the Hungarians took control of the region and became an administrative division of the kingdom of Hungary by 1003 AD up to 1526.
In 1526, the Ottoman Empire defeated the Hungarians in the Battle of Mohacs, which divided the kingdom of Hungary between the Ottoman Empire and Habsburg (Austrian) Monarchy. In 1571, Transylvania was declared an independent principality. While enjoying relative autonomy, the region was under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.
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| Transylvania landscape |
However, the Ottomans lost the region to the Habsburgs in 1683 after the battle of Vienna. The Habsburgs began to establish its rule over the region and in 1711; the Hungarian princes that governed the region were replaced by Habsburg Imperial governors.
Some say that this mixture of influences from the Muslim Ottomans and the Catholic Habsburgs including perhaps the Calvinist Hungarian princes’ influence might have caused considerable effect on Romanian culture, which made them eccentric in the eyes of Victorians (British). This perception might have influenced Bram Stroker’s novel, Dracula, which was first published in 1897, but of course I’m not writing that as a matter of fact.
Transylvania is a great place to visit especially for its fascinating landscape and scenery.
For information about traveling to Transylvania, you may visit:
http://www.outdoorholiday.com/mountain/Hiking_Carpathian_Mountains.phpPhotos: "Brasov" and "landscape" from traveltoromania.co.uk;
"lake in Carpathians" from outdoorholiday.com
"lake in Carpathians" from outdoorholiday.com
Info: wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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