It's the stuff of literary legend — and the view's not half bad either. That's right, you can now own the infamous Bran Castle in Transylvania, the fictional hilltop home of the world's most famous vampire, Count Dracula.
Deep out in the Romanian countryside, this towering 12th century fortress certainly looks the part — the spooky towers were purportedly the setting of Bram Stoker's 1897 horror novel, Dracula. And that's not the only real-life inspiration for the famous book — the blood-thirsty ruler Prince Vlad Dracul (aka the Vlad the Impaler) apparently lent his name to the titular character. Unfortunately, Vlad's own residence is now in ruins, and Bran Castle is as close as you'll come to true vampiric architecture.
The breathtaking structure currently belongs to descendants of the Romanian royal family, who have been operating the property as a popular museum. As the country's largest tourist attraction, some half a million people visit its spooky halls every year. But the current owners are getting older and hope to pass the estate on to someone who will continue to build up its destination status.
While the initial asking price apparently topped $66 million, the castle may sell for much less, especially since the Romanian government has reportedly declined the offer. According to the Financial Times, the unusual property could go for as little as $13 million.
