DraculaDracula is one of the most famous characters in the popular culture.Count Dracula, a fictional character in the Dracula novel, was inspired by one of the best-known figures of Romanian history, Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), who was the ruler of Walachia from 1456-1462. Born in 1431 in Sighisoara, he resided all his adult life in Walachia, except for periods of imprisonment in Hungary. Count Dracula is a centuries-old vampire, and Transylvanian nobleman, who claims to be a descended from Attila the Hun. He inhabits a castle in the Carpathian Mountains and he appears with an aristocratic charm, proud of his boyar heritage.

Count Dracula uses many different supernatural abilities. He has superhuman strenght, he is immune to conventional means of attack and can only be killed by decapitation preceded by impalement through the heart. He has powerful hypnotic and telepathic abilities, and is also able to command nocturnal animals such as bats and rats. Dracula can also manipulate the weather, usually creating mists to hide his presence, but also storms. He can transform himself in a bat, a wolf, a large dog and fog. He also has the ability to vanish and reappear somewhere else. crucifixes HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dracula" \l "cite_note-7"

One of Dracula's most mysterious powers is the ability to transfer his vampiric condition by biting others, who become the vampires after death. Dracula's powers are not unlimited, however. He is much less powerful in daylight. The sun is not fatal to him, though, as sunlight does not burn and destroy him. He is repulsed by garlic and .The character is closely associated with a vampire and remains a popular Halloween costume.