The Ghosts of Poenari Castle: Spirits in the Shadow of Dracula



Perched high on a remote cliff in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, Poenari Castle is a crumbling fortress steeped in blood-soaked history and haunting legend. Often overshadowed by the more tourist-friendly Bran Castle, Poenari is the true stronghold of Vlad the Impaler, the infamous 15th-century ruler of Wallachia and the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula. While its connection to Vlad is chilling enough, it’s the castle’s alleged paranormal activity that continues to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to visit.

Accessible only by climbing over 1,400 steep steps, Poenari Castle is a destination for the determined and the brave. For beyond its dramatic views and ruined battlements, many claim it is haunted by the restless spirits of the tortured and the betrayed.

A Fortress Built on Blood

Poenari Castle became Vlad Tepes' stronghold in the mid-1400s. According to legend, Vlad forced the nobility of Targoviste, who he blamed for his father and brother's deaths, to march to the site and build the fortress under brutal conditions. Many perished from exhaustion, starvation, and exposure, their bodies buried in unmarked graves along the mountain path. These anguished souls are said to still wander the hills, their moans carried on the wind.

Vlad himself was known for his merciless use of impalement as punishment, and it is believed that the area surrounding the castle was once littered with the bodies of his enemies, serving as a grisly warning to all who approached.

Hauntings of the Impaled and the Betrayed

Reports of paranormal activity around Poenari Castle are frequent among locals, hikers, and the rare paranormal investigators who make the ascent. Common phenomena include:

• Disembodied screams echoing through the forest at night.
• Apparitions of figures in medieval garb, particularly a woman in a long white dress believed to be Vlad’s wife.
• The sensation of being watched or followed, particularly on the staircase or near the ruins at dusk.
• Cold spots and sudden temperature drops even in warm weather.
• Audio anomalies captured on EVP devices, including cries for help in Romanian and a man shouting orders.

The Tragic Lady of the Castle

One of the most famous ghost stories tied to Poenari involves Vlad’s first wife, whose name has been lost to history. During a siege by the invading Ottoman Turks, she is said to have chosen death over capture. According to legend, she threw herself from the cliffs into the Argeș River below, crying that she would rather die than be taken by the enemy.

Visitors sometimes report seeing her specter standing at the edge of the cliff, her white gown billowing in the mountain wind before vanishing into thin air. Locals refer to her as the White Lady of Poenari, and some believe her tragic death ties her spirit eternally to the castle ruins.

Vlad’s Presence Still Felt

While Vlad the Impaler died in battle decades later, many believe his spirit remains tethered to Poenari Castle, the place where he held power and exacted his vengeance. His ghost is not often seen, but some visitors claim to have felt a crushing sense of dread near the heart of the ruins, particularly during thunderstorms. There are also reports of a phantom horse galloping through the trees at night said to be Vlad’s steed returning to its master’s side.

A Haunting Legacy

Unlike tourist-oriented Dracula attractions, Poenari Castle remains largely untouched and eerie, surrounded by wild forest and silence. The atmosphere alone is unnerving, but for those who listen closely, the past seems very much alive here.

With its real-life ties to one of history’s darkest figures, its violent past, and countless tales of spectral figures and tragic deaths, Poenari Castle stands not only as a monument to terror, but as a place where the line between legend and ghost story vanishes into the mist.

Would you climb the 1,480 steps to stand among the ruins after nightfall? Some say if you listen closely, the walls still whisper Vlad’s name.