#5 - Durmstrang
Credit: Kirill Repin
Welcome to Back to School! Each edition of this blog will focus on the major wizarding schools of the world, with our fifth edition exploring Durmstrang Institute.
With a somewhat sinister reputation, Durmstrang is an Unplottable school somewhere in the far north of Europe, but accepts students from Bulgaria, and possibly other Eastern or Central European countries which don't fall under Koldovstoretz or Beauxbatons. Durmstrang is particularly known for not admitting Muggle-borns, and they put particular emphasis on the study of the Dark Arts.
The castle is smaller and more conservative than Hogwarts, but the grounds of the school are much larger, and the students are known to enjoy flying over the grounds. Although the films depict Durmstrang as an all-boys school, the books depict it as a co-ed school. The uniforms are in keeping with the hostile weather, and include blood red robes with fur cloaks and hats.
Unfortunately, the school's tolerant nature towards the Dark Arts has led to alumni like Igor Karkaroff, former Headmaster, turning to the side of Dark Lords. Karkaroff was a Death Eater during the Wizarding Wars, and gave up the names of other Death Eaters in exchange for pardons. The school has also produced a Dark Lord itself: Gellert Grindelwald. Grindelwald was expelled because his views were too extreme for even Durmstrang, but he orchestrated a reign of terror during the Global Wizarding War, armed with the infamous Elder Wand.
Durmstrang has also produced alumni who are famous for more positive reasons, like Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team's Seeker, who caught the Snitch during the Quidditch World Cup at the age of eighteen, whilst still a student. He was also chosen to represent Durmstrang during the Triwizard Tournament.
Did you learn something new about Durmstrang? Do you want us to cover a certain school next? Let us know in the comments!
