Location from The Elder Scrolls by Bethesda Game Studios
Central trade city of Skyrim built around the ancient fortress Dragonsreach. Ruled by Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, Whiterun sits at the crossroads of the province and remains neutral in the civil war.
Whiterun is Skyrim's most central city and its primary trade hub, situated at the crossroads where all major roads converge. The city is divided into three districts: the Plains District with its bustling marketplace, the Wind District with Jorrvaskr and the Gildergreen, and the Cloud District crowned by Dragonsreach. Jarl Balgruuf the Greater rules from Dragonsreach, an ancient Nordic palace built to trap a dragon. The Companions, Skyrim's oldest warrior guild, make their headquarters in Jorrvaskr's overturned longship. Balgruuf maintains a precarious neutrality in the civil war, though both sides covet Whiterun's strategic position. It is here that the Dragonborn first demonstrates the Thu'um after slaying a dragon at the Western Watchtower.
A walled city rising in tiers up a rocky hillside from the surrounding tundra plains. Timber-framed buildings cluster along stone streets, with the great mead hall Dragonsreach crowning the summit, its distinctive peaked roof visible for miles. The Gildergreen tree stands in the Wind District, and market stalls crowd the Plains District below. Guard towers punctuate the outer walls.
Also known as: Whiterun, the trade city, Whiterun Hold