In 1890 Abraham Stoker decided he wanted to become a writer. His first book was the Snake's Pass. Then in 1897 Abraham began to research Eastern Europe looking for a suitable location to set his next story. He became interested in the Carpathian Mountains and began his story there. The main character, Jonathan Harker, is visiting a castle in the Transylvanian Mountains which are a part of the Carpathian Mountain Range. Transylvania is Latin for the land beyond the forest.
Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad Dracula, was the real life character Dracula was based on.