With a ruined centuries-old castle looming up on the hill above, the Slovakian village of Cachtice could easily take a starring role in a Gothic horror film. However, exactly 400 years ago, on August 21, the horror was all too real, as the life of the most prolific female mass murderer of all time -- a noblewoman by the name of Countess Elizabeth Bathory -- came to a grim end. It's not an anniversary they're likely to celebrate in Cachtice, where Bathory's reign of terror still haunts locals, but for some -- me included -- there's a strange fascination. In the lovely Slovakian town of Trencin, my friend Martin and I are joined by two guides, Ivan Kralik and Peter Pastier, who work in the local tourism office.
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It's unknown exactly how many girls the Blood Countess tortured and killed. Reports range from 100 to 650 victims
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She was never convicted of her crimes but was kept under house arrest in Cachtice Castle
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The Bathory name is now a brand of surprisingly excellent wines called "Bathory Blood"
The building stands on the site of the old @placeholder manor house.