Bran Castle is a medieval fortification located in the Rucăr-Bran Corridor, approximately 30 kilometers from Brașov, in the southeast of Transylvania. Built on a rock in a strategic position, the castle was erected from stone in the 14th century, after 1377, on the order of King Louis I of Hungary, and served as a control point between Transylvania and Wallachia. The initial military structure was transformed into a royal residence in 1920, when it was donated to Queen Maria of Romania. Today it functions as a museum on four floors with exhibits of furniture, costumes, weapons and armor, and the estate includes the royal park and other secondary buildings.