City · Winterhold
Once a great city, most of Winterhold fell into the sea during the Great Collapse. Only a handful of buildings remain beside the bridge that leads to the College of Winterhold.
Winterhold is the capital of Winterhold on the Skyrim map.
Winterhold is the capital of Winterhold hold on the north east coast of Skyrim, north of Windhelm and east of Dawnstar. It was once a great city, but in 4E 122 the Great Collapse dropped most of it into the Sea of Ghosts, leaving a handful of buildings on a cliff. There is no wall, no stables and no carriage; you arrive on foot along the snowy road from Windhelm. The College of Winterhold stands on its own rock, connected to the town by a narrow stone bridge guarded by Faralda.
The town is a single street. The Jarl's Longhouse is the seat of government. The Frozen Hearth, run by Dagur, is the only inn and doubles as the local meeting place. Birna's Oddments is the general store; Birna will sell you the Coral Dragon Claw for 50 gold, which opens Yngol Barrow. Kraldar's House belongs to the wealthiest man in town. Across the bridge, the College is made up of the Hall of the Elements, the Hall of Attainment, the Hall of Countenance, the Arcanaeum library and the Arch-Mage's Quarters, with The Midden below.
Jarl Korir, a Stormcloak supporter who blames the College for the Collapse, rules from the longhouse. Malur Seloth is the steward and stays in post no matter who is Jarl. If the Imperial Legion takes the hold, Kraldar becomes Jarl, with Thonjolf as his housecarl. Becoming Thane requires helping the Jarl (retrieving the Helm of Winterhold for Korir) and then assisting three people in the hold; the reward is the Blade of Winterhold. Details are in Thane of Winterhold.
No. Winterhold is the only hold where you can neither buy a house nor build one with Hearthfire. Joining the College gives you a bed in the Hall of Attainment, and finishing the College questline gives you the Arch-Mage's Quarters, which is the closest thing to a home in the hold. See Skyrim houses for every home you can actually own.
The College questline begins at the bridge with Faralda's test. In town, Dagur gives Drowned Sorrows, Haran gives A Few Words with You, Malur Seloth gives Some Light Theft and Korir gives Dungeon Delving and Thane of Winterhold. The dig at Saarthal, the first College task, is a short walk south west.
The College has master trainers in Alteration (Tolfdir), Destruction (Faralda) and Illusion (Drevis Neloren), plus tutors in the other magic schools and spell merchants in each hall. See Skyrim trainers.
Winterhold is on the north east coast of the map, north of Windhelm. Only a few buildings remain on the cliff, with the College of Winterhold across a bridge.
Korir, with Malur Seloth as steward. If the Imperials take the hold, Kraldar becomes Jarl instead.
No. Winterhold is the only hold with no house to buy and no Hearthfire plot. The Arch-Mage's Quarters at the College is the closest substitute.
In 4E 122 the Great Collapse sent most of the city into the sea. Many locals blame the College, which survived untouched.
Help the Jarl (retrieve the Helm of Winterhold for Korir), assist three people in the hold, then return to the Jarl. You receive the Blade of Winterhold.