Virtual Tour Live

The Legends and Myths of Transylvania

Today, Transylvania is mostly known for its myths about vampires and the blood-thirsty count Dracula. But while the fictional character is a creation of the Irish writer Bram Stoker as the central figure of his fantasy book Dracula, Transylvania has its own folk creations. For centuries, Transylvania was colonized by several transient populations that have shaped its history. Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons, Ottomans, Jews, and Roma Gypsies inhabited the whimsical territory of “the land behind the forests” (trans silvae), shaping the local folklore and giving birth to fantastic creatures, magic legends, and a fascinating tradition of storytelling.