Romanian Tourism Min To Partner Up With Owners To Promote Castle Bran

Udrea said she had a fruitful meeting with the archduke and the family of Habsburg adding she appreciates the owner’s willingness to leave Castle Bran, an objective of ‘national importance”, within the tourist circuit.

 

"The family of Habsburg wishes and prefers to leave the castle within the tourists circle,” Udrea said after the meeting, which lasted for about an hour and a half.

 

The minister also said the partnership to promote the castle will include the local administration in the Bran area, central Romania.

She added the Ministry of Tourism has no attributions related to the administration of the castle, as these attributions belong to the Ministry of Culture. That is why, she said, it would be best to include the Culture Ministry in the promotion of the castle as a tourist objective.

 

On Thursday, Dominic of Habsburg had a meeting with culture minister Theodor Paleologu to discuss ways to administrate the castle. After the meeting, the minister said two variants were considered: public-private partnership or the castle’s acquisition by the state.

 

"I’m very glad the minister understands perfectly what we want,” said Dominic of Habsburg, adding he wants Castle Bran to remain an attraction for Romania and the world.

 

The Habsburg family visited the castle on Friday and Dominic of Habsburg said he sees no problem for the castle to become a private museum.

 

"The castle has been well preserved. When I lived here it wasn’t like this, there was much more color. But after we left, the castle was plundered and many objects, carpets, were taken away. Anyhow, the atmosphere of those times was somewhat recreated,” he said, adding he sees no problem in having the castle become a private museum and he hasn’t decided whether he will sell it.

 

Castle Bran was returned on May 18, 2006 to Dominic of Habsburg and the Ministry of Culture keeps it as a museum until May 18, 2009.

 

Dominic of Habsburg, grandson of Queen Maria and son of Princess Ileana, regained the castle nearly six decades after the royal family was forced to leave the country by the communist regime, when Dominic of Habsburg was ten.

 

Castle Bran, attested since November 1377, is one of the major tourist objectives in Romania. The castle is famous worldwide for its association with Dracula.