Dracula's dungeon was first discovered by archaeologists while doing restoration work at the Tokat Castle in northern Turkey in 2014. The tunnel, which extends to about 100 feet before it is blocked off, has just been opened to the public, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
"We have made progress. Since it has an angle of 45 degrees, it is hard to remove stones and earth," said Turkey's culture and tourism director, Abdurrahman Akyüz, according to Fox News. "We think that this tunnel was closed in the past to prevent possible danger," Akyüz added.
Akyüz , who has been on top of the restoration efforts of the castle since 2009, cannot wait to find out what's possibly at the end of the tunnel. "The history books record that this passage comes down to Pervane Public Bath with a stairway of 360 steps," he told Daily Sabah back in April.
While a lot of things remain a mystery, what Akyüz is certain of is that the tunnel, named the Ceylanyolu or Gazelle Passage, stretches to the center of Tokat's main city and may be 350 meters long.
Over the years, archaeologists have also discovered military shelters and food preparation areas in the dungeons, which are believed to be the sites where Prince Vlad III "The Impaler," otherwise known as Dracula, was held by the Ottomans.
The restoration project of the castle was aimed at turning the site into a tourist attraction and visitors may soon find a beeswax sculpture on Vlad III in the dungeons as part of its appeal.
"Dracula is a known brand and I think we can begin taking advantage of it," declared the city council, according to Fox News.
