Where does transcription take place?

The genetic code is located in the nucleus of a cell in material known as chromatin. This material condenses to form chromosomes which are made of DNA. 

DNA contains the organism's genome and must be faithfully copied in order for cells to be able to produce proteins at organelles known as ribosomes in the cytoplasm.  DNA does NOT leave the nucleus of the cell. 

In a process known as transcription, which occurs in the cell's...

The genetic code is located in the nucleus of a cell in material known as chromatin. This material condenses to form chromosomes which are made of DNA. 

DNA contains the organism's genome and must be faithfully copied in order for cells to be able to produce proteins at organelles known as ribosomes in the cytoplasm.  DNA does NOT leave the nucleus of the cell. 

In a process known as transcription, which occurs in the cell's nucleus, another nucleic acid known as messenger RNA or mRNA can copy the DNA blueprint. It can make a  strand complementary to either side of the DNA double helix.  Once transcription is completed, the messenger RNA transcript can be taken to a ribosome where translation resulting in protein synthesis occurs.

When mRNA transcribes DNA, it follows the rules of base pairing that apply to DNA with one exception- messenger RNA lacks the base thymine and so the base uracil is substituted. The rules are --if DNA has the base adenine (A), the mRNA complement would be uracil (U). If DNA has the base thymine ( T), mRNA has the complement adenine ( A). If the DNA has the base cytosine (C), the mRNA complement is guanine ( G) and finally, if the DNA has the base guanine (G), the mRNA has the complement cytosine (C).

If the DNA code reads--                         TAC GGA then the mRNA would form the complementary strand which reads:   AUG CCU 

I have placed the mRNA transcript below the DNA blueprint to see how the rules of base --pairing apply in transcription. 

To conclude, transcription is when the DNA genetic code is copied into messenger RNA. This process occurs in the cell's nucleus.