Great Hall

The Great Hall is the central meeting house of the Isle of Berk. It serves many functions and is seen multiple times in the film franchise, both from the outside and inside.

In the game Dragons: Rise of Berk, the building is titled "Meade Hall", though it's never gone by anything other than "The Great Hall" in the movies and TV series.

History
The Great Hall is inspired by the historical Viking Longhouses; long windowless structures in which Vikings lived during the harsh winters of the northern Atlantic. On the Scandinavian mainland they were built from timber, yet on distant islands, including Iceland where trees weren't plentiful, they were built of sod. Livestock would be housed on one end while the humans lived on the other, and fire pits ran down the center of the structure for warmth, light, and cooking purposes. In the How to Train Your Dragon franchise however, it is a transformed cave in the side of a mountain with a single giant fire pit in the center, where it overlooks the entire village of Berk. Historically, entire extended families would hunker down in the longhouse for warmth and safety during the coldest months, and enjoy the freedom of smaller outbuildings when the weather warmed up. Although it served as a common meeting place throughout the year.

Appearance
The Great Hall is a cave in one of the largest mountains on the Isle of Berk. The entry way includes long ceremonial steps leading to the giant double doors, guarded by giant Viking status, each mounted on a dragon and holding a torch, which are lit at night. The doors don't latch as they are commonly seen swinging open again when slammed or when a gust of wind blows in.

Inside are stone walls and a dirt floor, typical for a cave. Wide wooden pillars are scattered throughout the inside with decorative metal bands and carvings on them, though their purpose only appears to be ornamental. Tapestries displaying scenes of Vikings battling dragons hang on the walls and also in some portions of the open space. On one wall a collection of portraits of Berk's former and current chiefs hang. Along another wall is a raised platform for which a speaker can address attendants, behind which are carvings in the wall.

The centrepiece is a giant fire pit, around which is built a single wooden table, which is also seen used as a platform on which Stoick sometimes walks while he gives a speech. Over the fire pit is golden figure of a Grapple Grounder dragon impaled by a sword. Throughout the rest of the space are scattered many other tables and benches for eating and general communing. Along the walls are also touches for added light.

Eatery
In the first movie, the Great Hall is seen as shared place for the village to grab a bite to eat. As seen later in the TV series, there are tables full of fish, meat, and bread to one side for the Berkians to serve themselves. As there are dishes and flatware seen, it's assumed there is a collection of available dishes for them to use nearby as well. And plenty of fire pits over which to cook the food.

Political House
Also as seen in the first movie, the Great Hall is used as a political hub, where the chief can speak to the entire village at once. The village also holds meetings to discuss matters of importance such as dragons, enemies, what to do about particular concerns, and make decisions as a whole. In the episode "In Dragons We Trust", it's said to have been used for both weddings and funerals. Stoick meets and dines with chiefs of other tribes while discussing treaties as seen in "Twinsanity". The Hall is used as a courtroom in "Viking for Hire" with a baby naming ceremony, and again in "Cast Out, Part 1" when Alvin the Treacherous is put on trial. In both the episodes "We Are Family, Part 1" and "Imperfect Harmony", the Great Hall is used as a meeting place for Berk's Council; a collection of trustworthy villagers handpicked by the chief to make important decisions. And in "Have Dragon Will Travel, Part 2", Stoick uses it as a "throne room" as villagers line up outside to meet with him during Berk's Gripe Day.

Shelter
In the episodes "Animal House" and "When Lightning Strikes", Berkians take refuge in the Great Hall during severe storms, specifically a blizzard and an electric storm. And like its historical counterparts, animals take shelter image as well. As it's carved out of the side of a mountain, it's virtually underground and the safest place to take shelter during natural disasters. It's also seen as a sanctuary during the attacks of the Flightmare and the Screaming Death during the episodes "Fright of Passage" and "Tunnel Vision".

Festivities
The Great Hall is also used as a hub for village festivities and celebrations. As seen in Gift of the Night Fury, it is decorated for Snoggletog while villagers gather for the food and fun of the holiday. It's used again for the celebration of the unveiling of a portrait of the newest Chief and his successor in "Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Young Man". The Great Hall is used again as a exhibition hall to display the writings and tools used by Bork the Bold during Bork Week during the episode "We Are Family, Part 1".

General Meeting Place
As it overlooks all of Berk, the Great Hall is also used simply as a meeting place to congregate and talk with other villagers. It's used as a med hall in "The Eel Effect", where all the Berkians sick with the Eel Pox are gathered to receive medical attention. In "Bing! Bam! Boom!", Gobber states he's holding a concert there with his pan pipes. The Dragon Riders use it many times to sit and look through the Dragon Manual. In many other episodes, it's where conversations are held between two or more villagers, usually at one of the many tables inside, and over plates of food.