It shows why the castle was built in the first place: to guard and tax the trade road through the Bran Pass.
About the place
At Bran, the road between Brașov and Wallachia passed a customs point. In 1498 the people of Brașov took over the castle and its customs, and in 1836, after the border moved up to the mountain ridge, Bran stopped being a customs post. The customs house at the foot of the castle is a listed monument together with fragments of the medieval enclosure and the 'Heart of Queen Marie' Chapel.
The chapel, also called Stella Maris, was built in 1941–1942 by Princess Ileana, modelled on the chapel at Balchik, for Queen Marie's heart, brought to Bran in 1940. From 2009 to 2018 the customs house held the Bran National Museum, which then moved to Doctor Aurel Stoian Street. Today the building is no longer open as a museum: you see the ensemble from outside, from the road and from the castle walls.
Good to know
- The customs house cannot be visited inside; you see it from outside, on the way into the castle.
- The best overall view of the valley is from the castle walls.
- The exhibits once shown here are now at the Bran National Museum, about 700 m away.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.