Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most iconic television series of the 1990s. It portrays a strong female character who positively influenced a generation. The TV show has a story that captivated a great number of fans who, after years of its last chapter, want to continue learning and watching about this plot.
One of the most important locations where the series took place was at Sunnydale High School, where the main character (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends attended. This kind of production has many details unknown by the viewers and Sunnydale High School has many interesting facts that will make fans want to relive some of the episodes.
The site over Hellmouth
Sunnydale High School is located in the city of California Sunnydale. There is a great amount of evil energy throughout this area because it is the gateway to demonic dimensions from Earth. In 1997 Buffy Summers began studying at this school after moving to the city, where she made friends who would later help her face the demons.
The sports classes
The gym was used for various activities. For example, self-defense classes took place there. And when werewolf attacks occurred and when storms raged, sports classes were canceled and students had to play dodge ball. There were also supernatural events such as Amber's burning hands or when a monster attacked Buffy.
A building recognized
The exterior of Sunnydale High School belongs to a real building. The shots of the school's exteriors were taken at Torrance High School in the southern California city of Torrance. The California State University in Northridge was used for the scenes at New Sunnydale High.
Torrance High School has also been involved in filming television shows and movies such as Not Another Teen Movie, Beverly Hills 90210, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and She's All That, where Sarah Michelle Gellar made a cameo.
Inside the school
The old library was visited only by the most dedicated students or by members of the Scooby Gang, who also spent much of their time in the Lounge area.
The interior of the school became more modern when it was rebuilt and the site of the old library was converted into the principal's office so that the area could be controlled by Robin Wood, the principal at the time, who in addition was a vampire slayer.
The school with another name
In the process of creating a series, many changes and adaptations occur until the final result is achieved, which is what the fans remember. During the pilot of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the high school was named Berryman High School.
Later, the creators of the TV show changed it to Sunnydale High School, possibly hoping that the spectators would remember in a simple way one of the most emblematic places of the city and of the series.
The fish student
The school had a swimming pool which was used by the swimming team. In the changing room, the students who practiced this sport had access to the steam room.
In this service room, there was a well with students turned into fish, due to steroids that were provided by Professor Marin. Through this well, and the sewers it was connected to, monsters could roam around the city and the school.
Strange events
The school was always surrounded by supernatural events, which many people ignored or underestimated. For example, Principal Snyder blamed gangs, as mysterious deaths always occurred.
Despite this, the student community continued with its life in a normal way. Xander had a phrase for the situation: "Something weird is going on"; and the football team could have good seasons, they just had to keep the deaths among the players under control.
The destruction
In 1999 Sunnydale High School was destroyed in a fight with demonic beings, during this fight Principal Snyder and Mayor Wilkins were killed. In 2002 the school was rebuilt at the same location, above Hellmouth. Despite the growth of supernatural phenomena, police authorities often concealed the evidence.
In 2003 the city was completely absorbed by Hellmouth, following a mass evacuation. The reason for this destruction and apocalypse happening right in Sunnydale is the location of the city, just over Hellmouth, although there is also evidence of several similar spots in other parts of the world.
The seal of Danzalthar
In the basement of the school is the seal of Danzalthar, related to the Hellmouth. This seal was unearthed by Andrew and Jonathan, before that, they didn't know of its existence.
This seal represented an entrance to a place inhabited by thousands of vampires, for that reason, it was tried to be opened several times. From there it was possible to enter and begin a great battle led by Buffy.
All teenagers
At Sunnydale High School, a lot of rituals and magic happened, where monsters, deaths, and strange creatures appeared. One of the most peculiar events of the school took place when some chocolate bars with magic effects made all the staff of the high school go back to adolescence.