Listen "082 Bran Castle"
Episode Synopsis
Is Bran Castle Haunted?
Is Bran Castle haunted? We’re wrapping up Haunted Castles month on Ghostly! Last up is Bran Castle in Transylvania, Romania. Many claim that this castle is home to none other than Dracula himself, Vlad the Impaler, and is haunted by his many victims. But do we know the truth? Listen and vote!
Questions Explored in this Episode
Where is Bran Castle? When and how was it built? Who built it and how long did it take? Who was Vlad the Impaler and did he ever live in the castle? How did Vlad the Impaler inspire Bram Stoker and Dracula? What is it like today? Who are the ghosts that visitors claim to see? What other paranormal activity do visitors claim to experience? Is it haunted?
Bran Castle on the border of Wallachia and Transylvania was erected in 1378 to regulate trade and defend against Turkish invaders. It served as the Romanian royal residence from 1920 to 1947.
Vote on the Episode
Done listening to this episode? Go vote on what you think at ghostlypodcast.com/polls. #TeamBeliever #TeamSkeptic
Listener Mail
This week’s listener mail is about a creepy apartment. Have a spooky story or question of your own (or someone you know)? Send your story or question to [email protected] and we might read it on the podcast. You could be on a future episode of Ghostly!
Vlad Tepes
History of Bran Castle
Pat explores the history Bran Castle, Vlad the Impaler, Bram Stoker, and Dracula. This large estate was built to protect. Queen Marie was the first monarch to live there in 1920. Today it is open to visitors and hosts many paranormal investigations
The Debate
Pat and Rebecca debate the paranormal evidence. Visitors claim to see apparitions, including Queen Marie. Paranormal equipment such as EVP, EMP, Spirit Boxes, and more are often effective here.
Bran Castle in Transylvania
Poll Results
Did listeners think Casa Loma is haunted? Want to listen to our previous episodes? Check them out here.
Ghostly Book Club
Interested in joining our Ghostly Book Club? If you want to read spooky books and talk about them with fellow Ghostly listeners, sign up at ghostlypodcast.com/book-club. Our next book club will be in early 2022.
Ghostly Gear
New merchandise store right on our website at ghostlypodcast.com/store for all your Ghostly Gear! T-shirts, Hoodies, and Masks and more.
Done Listening to the Episode?
Please subscribe to Ghostly and give us a rating on iTunes or any podcast app where they let you. Tell your friends! Then you can debate the truth yourselves. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow our audience, so we can do all the amazing things we have planned for this year. And be sure to find us on all social media at Ghostly Podcast.
Visit our website, www.ghostlypodcast.com, to learn more about Ghostly, and, of course, give us your opinion on our polls here or on Facebook.
Support Ghostly
How can you help support Ghostly? Leave us a rating and a review. And now you can also buy us a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/GhostlyPodcast. You can give a one-time coffee, or you can sign up for a membership for $5 a month or $50 a year. Members get early access to future episode topics.
We want to hear from you! We want your ghost stories! Email us at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at GhostlyPodcast.
Sources for this Week’s EpisodeWikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_CastleBranCastle.com: http://www.bran-castle.com/historical-timeline.html and http://www.bran-castle.com/dracula.htmlAtlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bran-castleTravel Notes and Beyond: https://travelnotesandbeyond.com/bran-castle-romania-dracula-castle/DW: https://www.dw.com/en/count-draculas-haunted-castle/av-44917210Trip Savvy: https://www.tripsavvy.com/the-most-haunted-places-in-transylvania-4150086GA Adventures: https://www.gadventures.com/blog/transylvania-bran-castle-dracula-halloween/Conde Nast Traveler: https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/haunted-castles-around-the-worldTampa Bay Times: https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/2021/10/18/tampa-ghost-hunter-investigated-draculas-castle-did-he-speak-to-her/Romania Tourism: https://romaniatourism.com/press-famous-haunts-draculas-castle.htmlAmy’s Crypt: https://amyscrypt.com/bran-castle-ghosts-dracula/Haunted Journeys: https://www.hauntedjourneys.com/haunted-sites/4553-bran-s-dracula-castleYouTube (Sam & Coby “Our Horrifying Night at Haunted DRACULA’S CASTLE (Real Vampire)”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVGwnroncDY
Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
Intro: “III. Allegro moderato from Gargoyles”by Lowell Liebermann
Outro: “Dream Images (Love-Death Music)” by George Crumb
Bumper: “Ghost Waltz” by Lowell Liebermann
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com
More episodes of the podcast Ghostly
2026 Predictions with Jacob Mayfield
01/01/2026
179 Ringwood Mines
26/11/2025
178 Sterling Hill Mine
12/11/2025
177 Marilyn Monroe
29/10/2025
176 John Lennon
22/10/2025
175 Joan Crawford
15/10/2025
174 Lucille Ball
08/10/2025
173 Hotel Monte Vista - AZ
10/09/2025
172 Ghost Town of Bodie in California
27/08/2025
171 Fort Warren, Boston
13/08/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.