It's clear that vampires are currently in fashion. TV and movies have made them famous. But where did this myth come from ?

People have always been afraid of what comes after death and death itself. For these reasons there has always been a fascination with the idea of immortality. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all portrayed in their recordings creatures that fed on blood of the living. 

Vlad Tapes is a historical character from which the image of Dracula was taken. Vlad was a nobleman who lived in the Middle Ages in what was then called Valaquia (now Romania). Vlad belonged to a military group called ‘of the dragon' and from this Vlad took the name Draculea (Draculea means dragon).  Finally, from the name Draculea came what we know today as the name Dracula.

The Irish writer Bram Stoker based his book Dracula on Vlad, which is the origin of vampires in the cinema and on TV.

The original characteristics of vampires have changed over time, for instance usually: vampires can't see their reflection in mirrors, they have no soul, they can't take light or sun, they can't walk during the day, and if they do, they explode. They also can't be faced with religious symbols like a cross, because they are the sons of the devil...or so the legends go. 

But as you know all these old vampire traits have morphed a bit. In Twilight vampires were able to go out during the day and in True Blood they were able to live with people. Vampires have gone from being one of the most horrifying monsters around to being a creature which is able to co-exist in society.