Azkaban is the wizarding prison created by J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series.
Azkaban is located on an island in the North Sea and is guarded by Dementors, creatures that drain hope and happiness from nearby people. The prison is used by the Ministry of Magic to hold witches and wizards convicted of serious crimes.
The institution is associated with fear, isolation, and the harsh use of magical authority. Sirius Black’s escape is one of the major events connected with Azkaban, while the first book presents him as a dangerous fugitive before later revelations change Harry’s understanding of his imprisonment.
Azkaban is often confused with Nurmengard, another prison in the wizarding world. Nurmengard was built by Gellert Grindelwald to imprison his enemies, whereas Azkaban is the prison administered by the British Ministry of Magic.