Bran Castle in Bran, Brașov, Romania Oct 31, 2025

Featured in today"s image is Bran Castle, one of Romania"s most iconic landmarks, where centuries of history blend seamlessly with myth and mystery. The fortress was built in the 14th century and has withstood wars, monarchs and shifting empires. During World War II, Bran Castle was turned into a hospital for wounded soldiers by Princess Ileana, who was trained as a nurse. But here, legends speak louder than history. Perched between the regions of Transylvania—renowned for its chilling tales—and Wallachia, once ruled by Vlad III Dracula, the castle evokes a haunting legacy. Vlad"s ruthless reputation inspired Bram Stoker"s 1897 novel "Dracula." Though the story is not set at Bran Castle, its looming form and persistent rumours of Vlad"s presence blur fact and legend, forever linking it to one of humanity"s most enduring tales.

© blue sky in my pocket/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Oct 31, 2023Pumpkins and squashes
Oct 31, 2024Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, United Kingdom

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 4, 2025Bản Giốc – Detian Falls, Vietnam
Jun 16, 2025Sea turtle, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
Sep 25, 2024Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA
Feb 18, 2024Sperm whale
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears
Oct 6, 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York, USA
Aug 31, 2024Sahara, Algeria
Jun 29, 2024Beech forest in Nienhagen, Germany
Mar 11, 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
Jul 6, 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States
Jun 5, 2025Fumacinha Waterfall, Chapada Diamantina, Brazil
Jun 2, 2024Ploumanach Lighthouse, France
Jan 12, 2026Eurasian otters
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
Jan 5, 2025Plum-headed parakeet
Mar 1, 2025Aurora borealis over Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, Canada
Jul 1, 2024Fisgard Lighthouse, Colwood, British Columbia, Canada
Jan 1, 2025Polar bears in the Arctic
Apr 19, 2024Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
Nov 4, 2024Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England
Dec 25, 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California, USA
Apr 16, 2025Kachina Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Jun 4, 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eaters
Jul 10, 2024Collared aracari
Sep 3, 2024Crystal Lake in the Enchantments, Washington, United States
Apr 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Mar 7, 2024Roques de Benet, Catalonia, Spain
Dec 14, 2024Northern hawk-owl, Canada