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Transylvania, the Romanian Province
Transylvania is also the name of a fictional region of Romania, which is referenced in a large amount of vampire-related literature. While this area doesn’t actually exist, the stories and history behind it are so vast and rich with detail that we are able to visually construct the area with no problem (figure 10).
The geography of Transylvania is, for the most part, identical to that of the region of Romania it was set in: a heavily forested, typical European landscape. The name Transylvania is actually said to come from the Latin meaning of “beyond the forest.”
Figure 10. A map of Romania with what the region of Transylvania would look like if it was real.
It’s said that when a boy hit puberty, he would make the journey all the way from the heavily forested Skrotem and Testiqiuliu regions in the south to the northernmost part of the Transylvanian territory, the Forest Kin. This rite of passage into manhood, done alone and in the middle of the night, was known as the “nocturnal expedition.”
A detailed coat of arms was even created for Transylvania (figure 11). The sun and moon, respectively, represent life and death (or, more appropriately, the undead that come out at night). The black bird between them is a turul, a mythological bird of Hungarian origin believed to protect the living from the undead. After realizing the belief in a fake bird won’t help protect someone from a vampire attack, the red dividing band was added, representing the river of blood that flowed due to the Transylvanian people’s lowered guards. The seven towers, based on a popular prophecy among the Transylvanians, represent the number of days before you die after watching a crappy excuse for a black-and-white surrealist art film about a girl in a well, usually noted by receiving a creepy, whispered phone call soon afterward.9
Figure 11. The Transylvanian coat of arms.
One of the more well-known features of Transylvania, had it actually existed, would be that of Bran Castle, which would have been more commonly known as “Dracula’s Castle.” Situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, the castle would rest atop the edge of a steep cliff, and, when given the right angle, would look super creepy at night.
Today, the castle would serve as a national monument and landmark. Travelers from far and wide would come to visit the castle, which would be transformed into a museum. Guided tours would be available to take tourists through the interior of the castle, displaying classic Romanian architecture, art, and furniture. A small, open-air park would also exhibit traditional Romanian peasant structures from throughout the country. If it actually existed, of course.
Vampires > Zombies: Location, Location, Location
Transylvania sounds like a pretty awesome place. It’s the veritable home of what we know as the modern vampire. It’s got castles, coffins, creepy plants, and all sorts of crazy European stuff, not to mention a well-known history surrounding vampires. And what about zombies—where do they come from? Nowhere.
Transylvania, the Truth
Oddly enough, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was actually the closest to the truth. In the early sixteenth century, there was an abundance of transvestites living in Pennsylvania. For those who lived there, this was common, but it was quite a different sight for those not accustomed to the area.
One such passerby, a refined gentleman by the name of Herbert P. Wilcox, was traveling through the area on a trip with several members from the Refined Gentlemen’s Club. Wilcox noticed this high concentration of trannies and commented to his traveling companions, “Pennsylvania? More like Transylvania! Am I right!?” They all shared a hearty laugh among each other.
One of those companions was none other than novelist Bram Stoker, who later used the name as the homeland of the main character in the previously mentioned biography, Dracula.
That’s right, what most of us know as the birthplace of the most famous vampire in history is actually just a slang term coined by a man who enjoyed making fun of transvestites.
So if Transylvania isn’t the actual origin of the vampire and is really just a myth, where do vampires come from then?
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