What do Chia Pet, WizKids, Party City, and Graceland have in common? The same business daddy: Joel Weinshanker’s Ad Populum group. And now we can add to that motley crew Bran Castle, the formidable Transylvanian estate known the world over as Dracula’s Castle, since it served as Bram Stoker’s inspiration for his titular character’s haunting abode. The site operates as a popular tourist destination (because: Dracula!), and a recent dispute over management saw control given back to the castle’s historical royal heirs. So with the old management out, Ad Populum stepped in to buy 80% of the shares, giving the US company a majority stake (vampire pun!) in the Romanian property made famous by an Irish author. People Mag picked up details of the transaction from local Romanian reporting:
The outlet reports the transaction took place months after a dispute with the company managing the property was settled in a U.S. arbitration court. The court ultimately ruled in favor of a full transfer to the heirs of Princess Ileana, who inherited the castle from her mother, Queen Marie.
Immediately after the acquisition, Profit.ro reports Ad Populum started to recruit staff to handle daily operations including ticket sales, maintenance, event organization, and tours.
In an emailed statement shared with PEOPLE, an Ad Populum spokesperson noted the purchase is in regards to the business operations of Bran Castle, while the property itself remains owned by the Habsburg family, Princess Ileana’s heirs.
They said: “The family has partnered with Joel Weinshanker, who joins as their strategic partner to help elevate the castle’s standing as a premier international destination. The partnership spans several priorities, including expanding tourism to Bran Castle and the surrounding region from the United States and Western Europe, building on the family’s longstanding stewardship of one of Europe’s most iconic cultural landmarks.”
Bran Castle, Romania’s most popular tourist destination, attracts more than a million visitors each year. It boasts a mix of vampire lore, medieval history, and royal heritage. The attraction brought in a record-breaking profit of nearly $7 million in 2024, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Although Stoker used the castle as inspiration for Dracula, he never actually visited Romania, according to Bran Castle’s website. Instead, he primarily based his work on a depiction of the property available in England.
The character of Dracula was fictional, but the name derives from a nickname given to Vlad the Impaler, ruler of Wallachia between 1456-1462, who was described as a ruthless and bloodthirsty leader.
What do you mean Dracula was fictional?? Geez, give a girl a spoiler warning before relaying sensitive info! But no really, it is apparently a point of confusion, as Bran Castle’s own website includes this disclaimer: “It is desirable that visitors to Bran Castle distinguish between the historical reality of Bran and its character. Count Dracula from his novel Bram Stoker Dracula was and remains an imaginary character.” That statement says to me that poor guides onsite spend most of their days breaking the news to wishful tourists that Dracula was not a real person, however much the character was modeled on real life figure Vlad the Impaler. You know, the “ruthless and bloodthirsty” guy? Guess who he’s a distant cousin of? King Charles III!!! No wonder Chuck holds onto his own Transylvanian pile. In any event, I hope the new management proves to be the boon Bran Castle needed to stay afloat and open to the (paying) public. I’m just a little wary of possible cross-brand contamination within Ad Populum’s portfolio. The world doesn’t need a Count Dracula Bat Chia Pet, is what I’m saying.
PS — Bram Stoker didn’t even see the castle in person? HACK!
Photos credit: IMAGO/Peter Schickert/Avalon, IMAGO/Zoonar.com/Phil Bird/Avalon, Ferrari – Look/Look Press/Avalon
Never would I visit such a scary place with such a brutal history in real life (Vlad the Impaler, I think, but don’t want to look it up). I’m guessing it will be a tourist site. It reminds me of the Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts, which is open to paying visitors for overnight stays. I am fascinated by the Lizzie Borden case and have researched it a lot. She definitely did it and escaped conviction because people couldn’t believe a woman was capable of such violence.
Fun fact! Vlad the Impaler never set foot in this castle. His own castle is rubble far away. This was just the inspiration for Stoker.
But yep- Vlad Tepes was never there.
It’s already a tourist attraction. The story here is rich guy buys wildly successful tourist attraction.
There is no real history of brutality connected to Bran Castle. For centuries, it was used to house the garrison guarding the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, but no battles ever took place there. In 1920, it was gifted by the city of Brașov to Romania’s queen at the time, Queen Mary, and was later used as one of the royal family’s residences because the area is exceptionally picturesque and peaceful.
The castle referenced in Bram Stoker’s Dracula is not even located in the same region of the country — it is around 400 km away. Essentially, the connection is just a clever marketing narrative based on the fact that Vlad Țepeș may have passed through the area at some point in his life. There are no historical records indicating that he ever actually stayed there.
Thanks for the info! Interesting how successful this marketing campaign was for the castle, despite it having little to nothing to do with the book or actual historical figure. LOL!
More people are into Dracula than medieval Saxon architecture so its a great hook to get people to visit Romania.
That area is absolutely gorgeous. I got to spend a week driving around Romania in a tiny bright yellow Fiat. Gorgeous country with great food and wine.
I must beg to differ. What the world needs now is an entire set of Chias relating to Castle Dracula. Halloween is right around the corner 🧡🖤
Vlad never lived here. Bram never even laid eyes on it IRL. I’m sure it’s a fascinating castle and heck make that tourist coin, but this is quite the non story. And I’m speaking as someone who HAS visited the Stanley Hotel.
I sense that Romania is the new Epstein Island….
Yep, my first thought: another brothel, this time for wealthy vampire fetishists. Blood will flow like in any other such place. But there will be a gothic dress code, for a change.
Oh man. I hate that you’re both so right.
My preferred literary reference to Bran Castle is “Castle Shade” from Laurie R. King’s “Mary Russell” books. Mary and her husband, Sherlock Holmes (yes, that one) investigate strange events at the castle at the request of Queen Marie. If you haven’t read this series, they’re perfect summer books, start with “The Beekeeper’s Apprentice”.
I’ve been there! No bad vibes in the castle, other than it’s freaking freezing. Romania is a beautiful country.
Hapsburgs! Wonder what their jaws look like, now.