Archduchess Elisabeth Sandhofer, one of the owners of Bran Castle, in central Romania, passed away at age 76. She died "after a long and hard suffering."

Born in 1942, Sandhofer was the daughter of Princess Ileana, who was the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand I and of Queen Marie of Romania. Princess Ileana was a sister of King Carol II, the father of King Michael, who passed away at the end of 2017.

Archduchess Elisabeth Sandhofer was a "warm, humorous and discreet presence," who "brightened and brought back to life" the castle, following the Communist period, according to a press release of Bran Castle.

A place where people can light up candles was set up in the interior yard of the castle, and a book of condolence was also opened.

In 2009, Bran Castle was given back to the inheritors of Princess Ileana, namely the archduke Dominic of Habsburg, archduchess Maria Magdalena Holzhausen and archduchess Elisabeth Sandhofer.

Bran Castle is a top tourist attraction in Braşov county, having attracted almost 900,000 visitors in 2017.

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(Photo: Bran Castle Official Facebook Page)

editor@romania-insider.com