Were you aware that Prince Charles and Vlad The Impaler – the leader of Wallachia who sparked Bram Stoker’s Dracula idea – share a bloodline?
The Prince of Wales is seen as the 16th great-grandson of Vlad The Impaler via his great-grandmother, Queen Mary. His fascination with Transylvania emerged years ago, leading to greater involvement.
What’s the reason? That’s our quest to uncover. Continue reading if you’re curious about what draws Prince Charles so deeply to Transylvania.
Transylvania – The Land of Myths, Legends, and Dracula
Ever seen photos of Transylvania? How could one not be enchanted?
True, Transylvania, nestled in Romania’s heart, is famed for Dracula – Bram Stoker’s vampire tale. Yet, even without those creatures, Transylvania is steeped in lore and tales. Particularly its ancient hamlets and their designs.
The stories behind them, the traditions, the medieval manufacturing processes involved in different activities, the slower pace of life… and even the villagers’ efforts to restore everything with monumental dedication.
So it’s only fair to say Prince Charles loves the place because of its natural beauty and mystery. Just take a look at this short video to understand why the statement above is true:
Viscri is Prince Charles’ Favorite Place in Romania
The Prince of Wales owns an 18th-century guest house in the village of Viscri. One of the most beautiful of all the Saxon villages and their fortified churches, Viscri is also impressive because it’s a “survivor”.
In fact, the communist regime wanted to turn the entire village to dust. The Prince of Walesgavea speech urging the Ceausescu regime against the destruction of its villages.
At the same time, the foundation calledOperation Villages Romaniawas startedin France, Belgium, and Holland. They chose a village that was on the communists’ list to be bulldozed –Viscri – and saved it.
Prince Charles visited Transylvania for the first time in 1998 and has returned here every spring since.
Promoting Eco-tourism and The Beauty of Medieval Villages
Ever since his first visit, the Prince of Wales has invested a lot of time and effort into promoting the entire Transylvanian area with all its key aspects.
Yet his passion for the historic mansions and rustic dwellings extended further. In 2015, the Prince of Wales Foundation Romania was inaugurated. Its mission? To conserve the compounds centered around courtyards with wells, barns, and granaries, echoing the enduring customs of local kin groups.
For over 13 years, Prince Charles chaired the Mihai Eminescu Trust. Their achievements? Numerous, too vast to list entirely. The organization planted around 1.5 million tree seedlings and supported over 400 artisans across medieval Transylvanian villages.
You Can Even Visit The Prince’s Own House in Transylvania
That’s right, the Prince of Wales’s property is opened as a guest house. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site fully restored to its original glory butyou can actually spend the night there.
However, you’dget a lot more by choosing a complete tour of all the Saxon villages and their fortified churches. By doing so, you’ll be able to see Prince Charles’ involvement to its full extent and the overall beauty of Transylvania.
If you are interested in top things to do and see in Transylvania read more about it in this article.
We’ve prepared a special tour for you which will take you from Bucharest through all the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Romania, over four days. You canbook the tour from hereorget in touch with usfor more details.
