Dracula as a commercial image

For some time now, Count Dracula has been the most popular Romanian icon abroad, next to people like Ceausescu, Hagi etc.

Indeed, the legend of Count Dracula is set on some true historical facts. See also, the legend of Count Dracula.

However, in the latter years it has become also a great source of revenue (especially after the fall of the communist regim in 1989). All kinds of souvenirs and themed tours have become increasingly popular, aided by the incredible publicity made by a large number of movies appearing with different side-themes with the Count in the center picture. See also, Movies connecting to the "Count Dracula" legend

Historical places connected to Vlad Tepes are publicised under a Dracula theme catering largely, but not entirely, to foreign markets. Bran Castle, which has only a very tangential connection with the historical Vlad Tepes, now exaggerates that connection and promotes itself as "Dracula's Castle. A dungeon-themed disco, catering to a mostly Romanian crowd and located in the basement of a former inn immediately adjacent to the Curtea Veche ("Old Court") -- onetime site of Vlad Tepes's castle in Bucharest -- calls itself by the English-language name "Impaler". The well-preserved medieval town of Sighisoara, Vlad Tepes's birthplace, seriously considered building a Dracula theme park on the edge of town, but apparently thought better of the idea: the park is going ahead, but in a different location.