These are indeed true stories of 13 scary, eerie places you can visit in Transylvania or nearby, and immediately read about them in my latest book, Dreamland.
Visit them here with me. Too scary for you? I’ll hold your hand!
13 Scary, Eerie Places You can Visit in Transylvania or Nearby
1. Mysterious, Mythical, Medieval, Cârța Cistercian Abbey
At Cârța, unnerving stillness greeted me, giving the the cold shoulder of ruins. The wind carried faint strains of an organ tune, like an otherworldly echo from ages past. Ignoring the signs, I advanced, and was surrounded by elusive whispers rising from the shadows of ruins, lurking beneath weathered stones, or escaping through the creaking floorboards. Were these the last breaths of the monks who departed too soon? Unspoken questions of lives unlived…
“When monks started laying stone upon stone, raising their monastery’s walls like an immortal prayer to God, the devil squirmed underground.” (Towering at Cârța Monastery, DREAMLAND)
2. Bats, vampires, and time-travel down a well at Bran Castle
Dug in the shadows of history, the old well at Bran Castle soon ran dry. Deep within its bowels a sinister metamorphosis was afoot. An electric contraption, bridging the castle and the subterranean labyrinth of tunnels leading to the valley below. Here lay the Royal Park and a delicate flower garden, a sanctuary for a suffering Queen plagued by arthritis. And a mourning heart. Once a bucolic mountain pass, then a fateful military stronghold, Bran Castle had seen more souls departing from this world than there are stones in its walls. No worry it looks so eerie.
“The Queen’s rooms, as her pain, were hidden from view when one neared Bran Castle.” (Bran, a Queen’s Desire, DREAMLAND)
3. Șoimoș Fortress, an Eerie Treat in Lipova, Crișana
A brooding, solitary citadel, it stood sentinel for centuries watching over the meandering Mures River. The specter of a long-gone kingdom, once a thriving bastion of governance and military might, now it beckons only to the seekers of lost mysteries. Many left within its austere walls. None shall be revealed. So it crumbles into enigmatic decay, silent witness to the unforgiving passage of time.
“The bunny jumped. A shadow loomed over snow. Long ears laid low. Deadly talons locked as lethal as the icy ground.”(Șoimoș Fortress, a Hawk’s Nest, DREAMLAND)
4. The Enigmatic Tower of Densuş Church
With walls of worn-out stones, this medieval Christian sanctuary is the rebirth of a pagan temple once honoring the fiery deity Mars. Thus, its bare bones are columns and tombstones with Roman inscriptions emerging from the earth. Today, worship’s echoes reverberate across history, casting a captivating spell that spans over two millennia.
“Flowers for her oath, Old crown for her head, Dull beads for her neck, Rotten wood and shells.”(The Legend in the Tower, Densuş Church, DREAMLAND)
5. The Death Oragan at the Fortified Church of Prejmer
Ottoman hordes, like the black plague, attacked Prejmer fifty times. Yet the steadfast church stood. Encircled by fortified walls and a moat brimming with murky waters, its secrets were guarded by five looming towers. And more. Among ancient stone breathed an eerie contraption of demise: a wooden apparatus armed with a lethal arsenal. The Death Organ. Shotguns shrewdly designed to rotate morphed into a lethal war machine. Its unrivaled power wreaked havoc on the enemy’s encampment, a terrifying nightmare in the history books. (Img. source)
“But their main defense weapon was the death organ. Its sounds, once leaving the shell of the fortress, would coil, rise to piercing heights that the effect petrified any invader.” (Witchcraft or Death Organ at Prejmer? DREAMLAND)
6. The ghastly Banffy Castle75
A young girl harbored a forbidden love in the castle’s eerie depths, on moonless nights and veiled whispers. A vigilant stableman’s gaze met her evasion, sparking a murderous plot within the girl’s heart. She enticed him with the grace of a siren, only to betray him with a dagger‘s kiss. The truth of this macabre tale is shrouded in mystery, but restless spirits hidden in the castle’s dark passages continue to whisper of bygone horrors. (Img. source)
“It was a child’s play to kick leaves and poke holes with a stick. That’s how they found the tunnel, or perhaps the tunnel allowed them that.” (Haunted Legend at Banffy Castle, DREAMLAND)
7. The Forgotten Bear’s Cave in Crisana
Within the forest’s shadowy bowels, a solemn cave deep . Moss-covered stones and gleaming stalactites. It bore the imprints of time. Marks left by countless generations at its heart, showing the cycles of life and death. And massive skeletons. Asleep. A testament to time’s embrace. Bears had sought solace here, surrendering their spirit to the land they had once roamed. Few dare to walk in and listen.
“A memory came: tumbling in warm springs, wrestling his brother then accidentally bumping into their mother. She didn’t mind. Never did.” (The Bear’s Cave, DREAMLAND)
8. The Spooky Water Mill from Rudaria, Banat, that spins the time backwards
The only sound was the creaking of the old wheel as it turned in the slow, moonlit stream, “marking the passage of time.” As soon as my thought formed the water began to shimmer. In protest, the old wheel creaked and groaned. And changed its mind. Turning backwards. A sinister force drew me, and I was dragged helplessly into the past. (Img. source)
“Such words crunched like the milling stone.” (Water Mills from Rudaria, DREAMLAND)
9. The Enigmatic Red Lake of Harghita
A desolate lake lies in the palm of a mountain. Its mist-shrouded waters reflect a solemn gray. Tree skeletons protrude from its depths, like gnarled fingers reaching for the heavens. These branchless trees bear silent witness to the lake’s haunting presence. Their twisted trunks evoke spooky legends and warn that in this secluded place the natural and supernatural collide. Enter at own risk.
“Only the mountain knew her longing.” (Into the Water, the Red Lake Legend, DREAMLAND)
10. A Sad Witness of History, Halmgiu Church, Arad
A small church near an ancient Roman road once used by salt merchants. Bony, bearing the weight of centuries, cradles the oldest votive inscription with serenity. But, traveler, in the dark annals the very earth where you set foot witnessed unspeakable horrors. Stubborn peasants who clung to their faith paid the price – on a land that should have been sanctuary. Yet its white walls still stand. (Img. source)
“My feet carry me on a path like any other, nature reclaiming its territory. Yet under the overgrow I hear echoes from history.” (Time-lapse, Halmagiu Church, Arad, DREAMLAND)
11. Lindenfeld, a deserted village in Severin, Banat
Established in 1828, dissatisfaction quickly grew. To build homes and make room for their promised land, the settlers had to cut down trees. Lindenfeld was abandoned five years later due to cold military officials and a harsher climate. Despite this, new families adopted the empty houses and lived there for over a century. When the last villagers died. And forest returned to claim what was rightfully hers.
“Life’s echoes of voices, of feet stomping to church on a Sunday morning, sheep bleating, and dogs barking have long seeped into the ground.” (Lindenfeld a Deserted Village, DREAMLAND)
12. The Village that Disappeared, Uileacul Șimleului, Sălaj
A mysterious swamp, some say cursed before time, conceals a sinister disappearance. A village once thrived here. Why or how it submerged is still a mystery. But on clear days, the mournful toll of the church bell still echoes from beneath the lake, foretelling one’s fate. Don’t listen to its voice. (Img. source)
“I reached the shore of the blackened pond and thought I see, and hear, the church bell ringing for funeral.” (Legend of Cehei Pond, Sălaj, DREAMLAND)
13. Hoia Baciu, World’s Most Haunted Forest, Cluj
Twisted trees fill a forest abandoned by sound and life, their skeletal figures twisting and spiraling as if they’re wriggling to reach out and grab you. The air is filled with an eerie silence, thick stench, broken only by the footsteps of unseen figures.
“Roadside brambles caught my eye. Movement. Something, someone! Rags to the ground. Hair in a tuft.” (A Forest, Alive: Hoia, Cluj, DREAMLAND)
Thank you for traveling with me. I hope my tales sparked your interest about 12 scary places from Transylvania and around. If yes, then here’s my book, DREAMLAND. I would be so happy if you would give it a try. Click on the image below to get your preferred Amazon website.
That was so fun, Patricia. What a perfect spooky, sinister, mysterious post for the season. I loved “Dreamland.” It wasn’t like any other book I’ve read, transporting me to another place and time that oozes magic. You captured some of the darkest parts here. Wonderful.
I am glad you visited with me, Diana. Yes, these locations are perfect for the spooky season.
You are most gracious, thank you for pointing out what you enjoyed about Dreamland. I adored your review.
Have a beautiful month further.
More than half of these places are unfamiliar to me. Pfft! I haven’t been anywhere!!! October, however, sounds like the perfect month to visit some of them. 🙂
Here’s hoping the weather holds! October is perfefor travel.
I enjoyed digging these scarry locations out of my book. There were plenty I left out.
But mostly I enjoyed writing the tiny descriptions.
Perfect post as we near Halloween.
I am glad you enjoyed it, Martie.
Lovely seeing you again 🙂
Also liking that you chose 13 (often regarded as unlucky). You could have chosen a number that seems more common for lists (like 10 or a number ending with 0) but your choosing 13 is fitting and timely (and maybe even haunting?) for Halloween’s month and since there’s a Friday the 13th happening soon (October 13, this year).
You are very observant and I appreciate that.
Yes, that’s exactly how it happened and why I finally chose 13 locations.
I hope you found at least one who piqued your interest.
Thank you for visiting.
Love that you show cased these Pat! Your stories are so fitting for the season and truly speak volumes to the places you chose to write about. Love Dreamland
Thank you, Cindy. So glad you enjoyed them.
Perfect post for this time of year. These are some haunting places.
Yes, they are, Vanya.
🙂
Happy October!
Happy October to you also!