ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Transylvania

Transylvania is a place in Romania that's known for having a long and interesting history. A long time ago, before you and I were born (maybe even before our grandparents were born!), a lot of different groups of people lived in Transylvania. One of the first groups were called the Dacians. They built a lot of cool things, like huge fortresses made of rocks, big wooden houses, and graveyards where they buried their dead.

Later on, the Romans came to Transylvania and took over the land. They built roads, bridges, and even some buildings that people still use today! But the Romans weren't the only ones who wanted to control Transylvania- there were also the Huns, the Mongols, and the Ottomans. All of these groups fought over the land, and each one left their mark on Transylvania in their own way.

One group that's really important to mention is the Saxons. They were people from what is now Germany who moved to Transylvania in the 12th century. They brought with them their own culture and traditions, and they built big fortified cities that still exist today! They also built castles in Transylvania that you might have seen in pictures or movies. They used these castles to protect themselves from enemies, but also to show off how powerful they were.

Eventually, Transylvania became part of Romania, but it still has a lot of different groups of people who live there and bring their own traditions and cultures. Some people believe that Transylvania is a mysterious and spooky place because of all the legends and stories that have been told about it, like Dracula (who was actually a real person named Vlad the Impaler who lived in Transylvania a long time ago!). But whether you believe in ghosts or not, one thing that's for sure is that Transylvania has a rich and fascinating history that's worth learning about!