The discovery of the graves of suspected vampires in Bulgaria may turn into a tourism gold mine, according to local news reports.
During excavations of a monastery in the city of Sozopol, Bulgaria's National Museum of History says it unearthed two skeletons that showed the deceased person had been stabbed through the heart with an iron rod.
"This was (the) customary way (in) Bulgarian medieval tradition to deal with people which were presumed to be vampires," the museum's website says.
People at the time of the burial of the skeletons, about 700 years ago, thought that stabbing the corpses multiple times with an iron rod through the heart would prevent the dead from rising and attacking the living, museum director Bozhidar Dimitrov said, according to a report from the Sofia News Agency.
Dimitrov said more than 100 such "vampire" burials have been discovered in Bulgaria over the years, according to the Sofia News Agency.
But headlines of the latest find have piqued interest in the U.S., Europe and Asia, the report said, and tour operators are fielding inquiries about what it called "vampire vacations."
Already, people were lining up at the excavation site at the monastery of St. Nicolas the Wonderworker, the Sofia News Agency reported.
Big lines for vampires could pump even more blood into the country's expanding tourism industry. Bulgaria led the European Union last year in the increase in hotel occupancy by foreigners, with numbers up almost 20% over the previous year.
No stats on how many of those folks slept with the lights on, however.
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you know just because they drove steal spikes through the heart or the rib cage after they died does not make it a vampire there is no real proof that vampires ever lived, people need to get real or at least pull your heads out of that dark spot called your behind man are people stupid
Wow, so basically people are just wanting to vacation to see human remains? These aren't vampires people, they're people that were murdered!!! That's just sad.
Lol....
"Hordes" to Bularia. Oh. Yeah. Good luck with your "hordes". ah-hahahahahahahahahaha!
This is a slick marketing ploy by Bulgaria. Tourism up 20% to PY in Bulgaria. I will spend my Euros on something else.
Why spend big money on a trip to Europe to see dead vampire bones when you can see 'live' zombies right here in the good old USA?
I blame bush and his corrupt administration for this mess. We all know that vampires are a made-up entity by the republicans so they can control the earth by building up a secret army of werewolves. Dont be so stupid and naive.
@NJguy, a Newark zombie tour sounds worse than anything.
this is so fake. they should be using the wooden stake not iron rod. don't they watch buffy? gesh...
Thank you Thank you Thank You for making me laugh, really>
What would really be news is if they found skulls with fangs! Now that would truly be a vampire grave.
I'd go.
Its just mutilation of a corpse people are we getting dumber. To believe this mess is crazy
Geesh!
It looks like a man born with deformities who was bonked in the head!
Nice try having those two post deleted but I saved them.
Whatever...
You lack any sense, at all. People with physical abnormalities or mental illness have always been considered evil or demonic. Mary, what's your excuse?
Welp, due to your lack of response, I gather you have no excuse... so leave me alone...
@Hope:
Welcome back.
I've missed you...
Why did you change your name?
Agree with you assesment of the poor guy in the picture...I think we knoe how he died...agree with you on how the deformed and mentally ill are viewed, also.
I would hope that has changed; sometimes I wonder, though.
As far as my name... people know who I am and always call me hope, so I guess we're on a first name basis. I've heard you called Donna. Why'd you change yours... if you don't mind me asking?
No, I don't mind the question.
My given name is Donna, but my username has always been banasy.
I started on here as banasy, and that's how people know me best.
I've only blogged under my given name a handful of times.
I first met you as Hope, then you changed it to High Hopes, which always reminded me of that cool song.
Just curious.
I meant no disrespect.
Sozopol is a beautiful and ancient beach town, with much more history than just vampire graves! It already draws in hoards of British, German, Scandinavian, Polish, and Russian tourists