Transylvania and literature as a land of mystery and magic. For example, in Paulo Coelho's novel "The Witch of Portobello", the main character, Sherine Khalil, is described as a Transylvanian orphan with a Romani mother, in an effort to add to the character's exotic mystique. The so-called Transylvanian trilogy of historical novels by Miklos Banffy, "The Writing on the Wall", is an extended treatment of the 19th- and early 20th-century social and political history of the country. Among the first actors to portray Dracula in film was Bela Lugosi, who was born in Banat, in present-day Romania. Transylvania Transylvania is a
Transylvania University affection slackened, students refer to the tree as the Kissing Tree. In 2003 "[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]" included the Kissing Tree among the most romantic places on college campuses in America, and it was mentioned in a "[[Wall Street Journal]]" article about romance on college campuses. [[File:Transylogo.png|thumb|150px|Transylvania athletic logo]] The Transylvania Pioneers student-athletes compete under colors [[crimson]] and [[white]] at a variety of venues throughout the country; maintain successful results; and often compete against larger institutions including [[Ohio University]]. The Pioneers participate as a member of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]]'s [[Division III (NCAA)|Division III]], primarily of the [[Heartland