United Press International: Dracula castle too expensive for Romania

Dracula castle too expensive for Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Romania's culture minister said he won't pay $78 million for the Hapsburg royal family's so-called "Dracula's castle," Mediafax reported Monday.
Culture Minister Mircea Iorgulescu said the ministry will give up its option to buy the Bran castle, one of Romania's top tourist sights in central Transylvania, Mediafax said.

Iorgulescu said if Dominic von Hapsburg, a U.S. architect and son of Princess Ileana of Romania who inherited the 14th century fortress, wanted to sell the Bran castle, the government -- as the owner -- would take its furnishings and other objects.

Dominic von Hapsburg would sell only the castle's walls and nothing else, Iorgulescu said.
"I am not fooling around with public money and I do not plan to spent it irrationally," Iorgulescu said.
The castle was returned to the Hapsburg family in May, 60 years after Romania's communist regime confiscated it.
The Bran castle was the site of many films depicting the Prince Vlad, known as Dracula and notorious for his cruelty.

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