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This is Berk. The best kept secret this side of, well, anywhere. Granted, it may not look like much, but this wet heap of rock packs more than a few surprises. [src]
  Hiccup, opening narration  

The Isle of Berk, also known as Berk and Old Berk, is a relatively small island that serves as the primary setting for the DreamWorks Dragons franchise.

This island was previously home to the many Vikings of the Hooligan Tribe and many dragons as well.

Official Description[]

This is Berk, a dragon-friendly utopia jointly led by new chief, Hiccup, and his best friend, Toothless, the reigning Alpha of all dragons.
Much has changed on Berk in the five years since Hiccup and Toothless bonded and showed Vikings and dragons alike that coexistence between their species is not just a possibility — it’s the way of the future. The catapults and trebuchets that once dominated Berk’s towers during wartime have now given way to aqueducts, wing-inspired windmills, and Dragon Racing bleachers. Similar changes also occurred beneath Berk’s surface, where a reinforced hangar, complete stables, feeding troughs, and a dragon wash now occupy the old Whispering Death catacombs. Despite Drago Bludvist’s vicious attack on the island, Berk survived the Bewilderbeast’s barrage and emerged from the fray stronger than ever. Now joined by the full complement of Valka’s flock and the liberated members of Drago’s army, the people of Berk take to the skies on the backs of their dragons to protect their home and spread their message of peace.
  Dragons: Race to the Edge Interactive Map  


Geography[]

This is Berk. It's twelve days north of Hopeless, and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. [src]
  Hiccup, opening narration  

Berk is a small island that Hiccup states is twelve days north of "Hopelessness" and a few degrees south of "Freezing to Death", though such places are not confirmed to exist in the franchise and are likely an inspiration of Hiccup's sarcasm. He also says that it is located on the "Meridian of Misery" in the Barbaric Archipelago.

Berk is a rather round island, similar in shape to an oval, and it looks quite small on maps. Unlike many other islands, it has very few sea stacks. However, it contains many interesting geological landforms such as rocky arches and cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, streams, and several large forests. There is also a massive cavern under the village which now serves as a space for dragon stables.

According to the episode "The Longest Day", Berk receives two weeks of the midnight sun every year, putting it roughly 70 km south of the Arctic Circle at a latitude of around 65 degrees, 54 minutes North.

Climate[]

This is Berk. It snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three. [src]
  — Hiccup  
This is Berk, boasting the kind of balmy fun-in-the-sun climate that will give you frostbite on your spleen. [src]
  — Hiccup  
Winter on Berk lasts most of the year. It hangs on with both hands and won't let go. [src]
  — Hiccup  
But it's too early for a storm, it's still winter. Devastating winter isn't due for another month! [src]
  — Hiccup  
This is Berk. We've got ice, we've got snow . . . and we've got more ice. [src]
  — Hiccup  


Berk is known to have extremely cold, long winters and short dry summers. However, throughout most episodes and the movie, the weather seems to be clear, yet cold. Very few episodes show the weather as described by Hiccup, as most of the time Berk appears to be green and growing.

This could be more a production limitation, as rendering rain, hail, and snow all the time is harder than just clear days and nights.

Notable places[]

A rather large number of places are introduced around Berk.

Hooligan Village[]

Dawn of the Dragon Racers 001

Topographic map of the village of Berk

The Hooligan village is where the Vikings of Berk live. The village is filled with large houses with an architectural theme of dragons, and the homes are built on land with a slope. However, these homes had to be constantly reconstructed or repaired after being destroyed during dragon raids before the events of the first film. As shown in How to Train Your Dragon 2, structures were again destroyed when Drago Bludvist's Bewilderbeast blasted the village with ice, but were again repaired after his defeat. As shown in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Berk had progressed to intergrade dragons into their society. This brought the construction of the Dragon Birdhouses, huge and small structures made for the dragons to live in. By now, the entire village has been painted in various colors, making each house stand out from each other.

On the Isle of Berk, perched on the side of a mountain, there lies a village of formidable Vikings. Having settled here for seven generations and after weathering a multitude of dragon raids, the villagers have demonstrated their fortitude against hardships. During the feud between the Vikings and dragons, the architecture of Berk remained relatively modern, as the constant attacks made it necessary to rebuild often.
  School of Dragons Website[1]  


Armory[]

The armory acts as a storage for weaponry. There is gunpowder or some other explosive substance inside, which at one point was lit by Mildew to blow up the Storehouse in a plot to frame Toothless as shown in "In Dragons We Trust".

Barn[]

A large barn exists at the base of the cliffs, and in front of it are large pens for the yaks the Vikings domesticated. As shown in "Animal House", chickens and sheep are also kept here.

Berk Dragon Training Academy[]

Once the arena where Dragon Fighting class was held, it also housed several dragon species the Vikings had captured for training the younger Vikings to fight. There was a Deadly Nadder (Stormfly), a Hideous Zippleback (Barf and Belch), a Gronckle (Meatlug), a Monstrous Nightmare (Hookfang), and a Terrible Terror (Sharpshot). Toothless was also imprisoned here for a short while. It was also used for housing the battle between the best of the Dragon Training class and a Monstrous Nightmare as shown in How to Train Your Dragon. Later, Stoick gave Hiccup the arena to use as the Berk Dragon Training Academy, and a sign depicting Toothless was put up over the entrance as shown in "How to Start a Dragon Academy". The dragon cages were kept intact, as the dragons were locked up here when they were causing trouble, and also Stoick's Thunderdrum, Thornado, was locked up here with a muzzle when he was still aggressive as shown in "How to Pick Your Dragon".

Blacksmith Shop[]

Gobber's Blacksmithing Forge is the main blacksmithing shop on the island and is built along a cliff opposite the Haddock house. It was where the Vikings got their weapons during the dragon raids. The forge is spacious with many weapons inside. Hiccup has a space secluded in the rear of the building for use as his own workshop. Lately, Gobber has become a dragon dentist, so he put up a sign above the forge with a tooth on it, though the forge is still used. By the second film, it became the greatly expanded Dragon Armory where Gobber continued to practice his dragon dentistry and has dragon saddles built here[2]. Both Hiccup and Stoick worked here on saddle orders as shown in How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Cemetery[]

Very little is mentioned about any cemetery or other burial locations on Berk, except a brief mention in Dragons: Titan Uprising in the description for the Cryptic Collector.

When not in battle, the Cryptic Collector stands sentry over the wooded cemetery of Berk, guarding the bodies of fallen Vikings — and adding their remains to her growing armor!
  Dragons: Titan Uprising  


Dragons: Rise of Berk also mentions that the Sentinel Mossguard watches over Viking burial spots that employ tombstones.

Dragon Feeding Station[]

The Dragon Feeding Station is a building for dragons to feed themselves, thereby avoiding any conflicts between villager and dragon by providing an alternate food source to the Vikings' food stores.

Dragon Grooming Station[]

The Dragon Grooming Station is a hut for dragons to care of themselves, and in which their riders can groom them. They can bathe, exfoliate, and possibly dry off over hot coals.

Dragon House[]

While Hiccup was unconscious after the Red Death battle and the Vikings finally making peace with the dragons the Dragon House was constructed to house the dragons who weren't owned by Vikings or their families, even during Snoggletog is was decorated to look festive like the other buildings. However overtime it was then replaced by the Dragon Hanger to better house more dragons.

Dragon Stables (also known as Dragon Hangar)[]

Isle-of-berk-gallery-1

The hanger on the cliff of Berk

Using the tunnels and caverns that were created and found following the Whispering Death and Screaming Death attacks during the events of "Tunnel Vision", Hiccup and Gobber were able to build the stables with custom stalls for the various dragons. The stables also had storm doors. [2]

Dragon Race Stands[]

Following the start of Dragon Races, stands were built for the spectators with the chief's chair in the center as shown in How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Docks[]

AatO-Berk10-178

The Docks in Berk have large individual docks for loading and unloading large cargo into the ships. The docks are built from the large cliff of Raven Point. A wooden walkway is built above the docks to view the ships from. This is where Hiccup stood as he watched the ships sail away to the Dragons' Nest as shown in the first film, How to Train Your Dragon. Two large Viking statues with eternal flames in their mouths guard the waters entering the Berk Docks. One of these statues is destroyed by Drago's Bewilderbeast in the second film, and Hiccup had it rebuilt as a dragon.

Gothi's Hut[]

Gothi's hut

Gothi's hut in Rise of Berk

A house built high up on top of a steep peak that houses Gothi, the village elder. She has it secured on tall scaffolding, that need many stairs to reach. Because her home is located very high up, Gothi likely has a good view of the entire village from her front door.

The Great Hall[]

The Great Hall is the centerpiece of the island, serving as a communal hall for the Hooligans. They gather to meet, eat, and discuss political matters within its walls. A long set of stone steps lead ceremoniously to its entrance. It is arguably the most important and iconic structure on Berk. The Great Hall is considered the heart of Berk due to its importance in the Hooligan Tribe.

Haddock House[]

The Haddock house is where Hiccup and Stoick live, therefore it is also the chief's house. it is built on top of the high slope overlooking the entire village. The house is larger in comparison with other homes and is located right next to the Great Hall. It has steps leading up to the front door and two stone structures at the threshold of the steps.

Hofferson House[]

The Hoffersen House is where Astrid and her parents live, the house itself shows references to the Deadly Nadder by it having a Nadder figurehead and covered in spikes.

Library[]

The library on Berk has a collection of sources of information and similar resources for the village to use.

Prison[]

Prison on Berk

Exterior of Berk's Prison, as seen at night

A rarely used place on the island of Berk, used to hold enemies captured by the Hairy Hooligans. It appears several times in the series.

Unlike the Outcast prison, the Hooligan's cells are above ground in the village. The prison stands on a cliff that flows into the sea, which, in addition to numerous security measures, prevents the prisoners from escaping - they are forced to either jump into the ocean or go to the central part of the village, where they would be immediately noticed and caught.

It is a small building with a rectangular shape and a sloping roof. It is made of wooden logs, tightly arranged together. Sharp wooden sticks protrude from the top of the roof, probably to prevent escapes through the hole in the roof. Above the entrance, along the entire structure, Viking shields are hung. There are two tall structures on either side of the prison - one of them is probably an watchtower armed with a catapult and the other is a well.

Inside, there are about six cells with sturdy doors made of iron bars. The equipment is quite poor, sufficient for the humane detention of prisoners. Unlike the Outcast prison, it looks neat and comfortable. You can see that the prisoners staying there are treated well and with respect, they have convenient conditions and everything they need.

Well[]

The Well is a standard circular stone well which is dug a deep hole into an underground water source that helps supply the village with fresh and clean drinking water, which was dug around two years before the dragons moved in. It now connects to another source of water after Whispering Deaths drained the source but dug a new channel.

Caves of Jötunn[]

These caves were in the bowels of Berk. They were also known as the Underworld. It was here that Captain Fiske had a mining operation where he hoped that the village of Berk would be swallowed up as shown in "Underworld".

Lars Lake[]

The is an enormous body of deep fresh water surrounded by rocky cliffs but also has a sandy beach, its also used to test Hiccup's aquatic inventions and used as a source of water in case of a water shortage emergency.

Mildew's House[]

A gloomy house built outside the village in the shadow of a cliff on the back edge of the tallest peak, it is out of sight from the rest of the village. According to Gobber, the Vikings built it there because they find Mildew annoying as shown in "How to Start a Dragon Academy".

Raven Point[]

As stated in the first film, Hiccup says he shot down a Night Fury that fell just past Raven Point. Raven Point is a mountain peak filled with forests and cliffs. At the base of the tallest peak, lay the docks. This is notable because of a large canyon-like structure between the tallest peak and another cliff.

The Cove[]

A large sunken area in the forest with rocks, tree roots, and a waterfall fed pond with fish. It was here Toothless crash-landed once Hiccup released him, and this was where they gained each other's trust and friendship. The walls are steep enough that Toothless cannot easily get out, though he can if sufficiently motivated, such as when he rescued Hiccup from Hookfang in How to Train Your Dragon. However, Vikings can easily enter and exit through narrow corridors. Hiccup occasionally leaves Toothless here when he doesn't want him to go anywhere, as seen when he believes Toothless' aggression around Torch, the baby Typhoomerang, to be a problem and leaves Toothless stranded in the cove as punishment in "The Terrible Twos". Astrid and Snotlout collect water from the Cove's pond in "Tunnel Vision". Stoick ordered everyone to retreat to the Cove when the Speed Stingers attacked in "Frozen".

Whispering Death Caves[]

These tunnels were formed when Toothless' Nemesis tracked him down to Berk and began tunneling around everywhere from the village to the forest. Later in an attempt to destroy Berk Alvin, Mildew and the outcasts placed Whispering Death eggs in the underground caverns so that once hatched they would destroy Berk, when the Whispering Deaths hatched and made the tunnels they travelled everywhere around the island which lead to the water from the well to be diverted. But after more digging from battling the Dragon Riders the Whispering and Screaming Death dug a new water channel filling up the well again. These tunnels are also used by the Outcasts to sneak and spy around Berk as well as the Twins to travel around for fun leading to areas around the village, farms, beach and Gobber's outhouse.

In Dragons: Wild Skies[]

In the video game, DreamWorks Dragons: Wild Skies, you can travel around several areas of the Isle of Berk. It should be noted that these locations have not been seen anywhere else in the franchise, and most of the names originate from the book series.

Berk Village[]

The village of Berk is an area in Wild Skies which is home to the Vikings of Berk. It has several houses on a cliff and progresses downwards to the Dragon Training Arena. The village sits on the edge of a cliff facing towards the open ocean, which has many rock formations and arches rising out of the sea. In the sky, large mountains are seen.

Unlandable Cove[]

Unlandable Cove features a large damp swamp and several small rock formations rising out of the murky water. There are many plants and vines around this area, and the area is very foggy. Tall trees rise out of the ground on islands in the swamp, and many arches and cliffs are scattered around the outer rim of the area. The Deadly Nadder's lair is found in this spot and the Changewing is also found here.

The Great West Ocean[]

This area's most prominent feature is the large bay in the middle of the area. Many arches, cliffs, and rocks are found around the exterior of the area, and large landforms rise out of the middle. Various waterfalls flow from the tops of the islands and landforms into the water below. The area that can be explored on foot has several ramps that lead to higher cliffs. This is where you encounter the Scauldron.

The Woods That Howled[]

This area features a large forest and many giant landforms. Vines hang from the bottoms of the mountainous landforms, and at the very bottom of the area is a big thick fog. In the ground area, a large lake is found. A huge rock dome with many holes in it can be found sheltered over a cave entrance, which leads to the lair of the Gronckle as well as the Whispering Death.

Lava-Lout Island[]

This area has various lava pools and lavafalls around it. The main feature is the giant hollow mountain rising in the middle, which at the very top houses the Monstrous Nightmare and the Smothering Smokebreath. In a circle around the mountain is a lava moat. It also has many spikes and spiky cliffs scattered throughout the area. The first time you enter you need a Zippleback. Sometimes there is a glitch where if you try to enter with a Typhoomerang, it will say that you need a different type of dragon to enter but after a while, you can enter Lava-Lout Island.

Black Heart Bay[]

A large bay is found in the middle of the area, which leads to the ocean. Huge islands rise out of the sea, with various trees growing on them. Arches and cliffs circle around the place. The ground area is a woodland area with a very rocky and desert area branching off the side, which leads you straight into the Hideous Zippleback's domain. A very big lake is featured lower into the area, with a gigantic waterfall splashing into it. A cave system is found behind a waterfall.

Wild Dragon Cliff[]

A very foresty area, Wild Dragon Cliff features many cliffs with trees dotting the tops. A giant lake sits at the bottom of the area, with a large island rising out of it. A huge waterfall flows into the lake, and up the waterfall sits the entrance to Badmist Mountain. A giant archway rises above the waterfall. There's a crack in the mountainside which leads to the Typhoomerang's home.

Badmist Mountain[]

A very large area that sits at the top of the Isle of Berk. Many cliffs form a U shape, with the open part of the U facing the open ocean. Several landforms rise from the barren ground, and a large underground lake can be found in the side of the cliff. This is Toothless' favorite spot on the island, and he can be found in a small alcove of trees on the ground level. A wide-spread mist covers up the sky so only a Nightmare can get there the first time you go in due to its huge wingspan.

Wrecker's Reef[]

A large bay covered in constant snowfall. Large spires with bridges connecting to cliff sides dot the area, which is penetrated by a large icy bay. Snow-covered trees are the only foliage. Crabs can be found in the bay. You can locate the Thunderdrum here.

Dragon Species[]

A large variety of dragon species live on Berk and its surrounding islands. The only known Night Fury lives on Berk, and the first Typhoomerang was also discovered on the island. Other recently encountered species include the Terrible Terror, Hideous Zippleback, Monstrous Nightmare, Deadly Nadder, Gronckle, Thunderdrum, Boneknapper, Scauldron, Fireworm, Whispering Death, Changewing, Grapple Grounder, Rumblehorn, and Hotburple. Timberjacks are known to fly around Berk.

At the end of the second film, the Hobblegrunt, Raincutter, Scuttleclaw, Seashocker, Shovelhelm, Snafflefang, Snifflehunch, Stormcutter, Thornridge, Threadtail, Thunderclaw, Windgnasher, and Windstriker started to live on Berk as well.

By the time of the third film, the Crimson Goregutter and Hobgobbler began to inhabit Berk. But after Hiccup realizes the threat that Grimmel the Grisly poses, all of the dragons choose to migrate from Berk and live in the Hidden World.

Dragon Riders' Auxiliary[]

The Dragon Riders' Auxiliary, also known as the A-Team, are a group of dragon riders founded by Astrid Hofferson, that act to defend and protect Berk during Race To The Edge, while the dragon riders are exploring beyond the archipelago.

The Dragon Riders' Auxiliary consists of Berk citizens. It is lead by Gustav Larson, and consists of Spitelout Jorgenson, Gothi, Bucket, Mulch, and Silent Sven. Numerous other Berkians tried out for the Auxilary but failed to finish the training.

Appearances[]

Berk made its debut in the first film and as the dominant location of the franchise has made frequent appearances ever since.

Games[]

Dragons: Rise of Berk[]

Berk is the main island in this game, where most buildings, like the Dragon Hangar or the Hatchery, are found.


Trivia[]

  • According to Brook Chalmers' Tumblr page, there are roughly 250-300 residents on Berk during Dragons: Riders of Berk and Dragons: Defenders of Berk.
  • Berk is British slang for a "fool", a "prat", or a "twit".
  • It was revealed in a deleted scene for the third film that Grimmel and the Warlords had burned Berk to the ground.
  • The holiday Yule log special Snoggletog Log is the only installment where the Isle of Berk is never seen nor mentioned, as its entirety takes place on New Berk.
  • In an interview about the unpublished graphic novel The Fire Tides, Richard Hamilton revealed that the island is further evolving between its appearance in the second film and third film; with the sentry statue off the coast almost finished, Stoick’s statue almost finished, and colorful dragon houses popping up all over the village.

References[]

Isle of Berk (Franchise) uses Creative Commons Licensed content from the Rise of Berk Wiki page Somewhere on Berk. The list of authors can be found on the page revision history (view authors). ROBWiki Logo

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