Winterfell

Winterfell is the regional capital of the North and the seat and ancestral home of the House Stark. It is a very large castle located at the center of the North, from where the head of House Stark rules over their people. A small godswood is enclosed within Winterfell's walls.

The castle is located alongside the Kingsroad as it makes its way from the Wall to the capital of the Six Kingdoms, King's Landing, more than a thousand miles to the south. It is situated atop hot springs which keep the castle warm even in the worst winters. Winding tombs below the castle contain the remains of Stark kings and lords and record the history of the ancient family. According to Maester Luwin, there are hidden passageways built in the castle so its Lords could escape. The castle has stood for millennia.

During the War of the Five Kings, Winterfell was taken by Theon Greyjoy, but the castle was put to the torch by Ramsay Snow after Theon is betrayed by his own crew. This burned out the wood portions of the castle, though the core stone structures remained fundamentally intact, as did the enclosed godswood.

After the surrender of Moat Cailin, House Bolton was granted Winterfell, and their army relocated to the ruined castle in order to restore it as the seat of the rulers of the North. Winterfell remained in the hands of Roose Bolton, who betrayed Robb Stark at the Red Wedding.

Background
According to legend, House Stark has held Winterfell for 8,000 years, though it has been considerably expanded upon over the centuries. It was said to have been built by House Stark's founder, Bran the Builder, during the Age of Heroes, who was also said to have constructed the Wall and even Storm's End.

Eddard Stark rode south to fight in Robert's Rebellion after the Mad King executed his father and his older brother. At the end of the war, Eddard returned to Winterfell with his new wife Catelyn Tully, their infant son Robb, and with Eddard's infant nephew Jon Snow, the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, who Eddard claimed as his illegitimate son to protect him from King Robert Baratheon. After the Greyjoy Rebellion eight years later, Lord Balon Greyjoy's only surviving son Theon became a hostage of House Stark. Eddard took Theon with him to Winterfell and raised Theon as his ward alongside Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon.