Hyrule/Locations and Landmarks

Cities, Residences and Villages
Hyrule Castle, also known as "Castle Hyrule", is the seat of Hyrule's monarchical government and the home of the Royal Family of Hyrule. In most depictions of the castle, it is a great stone castle with battlements and towers in the gothic style of medieval castles, usually surrounded by water. It is often one of the most important places for Link during his adventures in Hyrule and many times is the site of the final confrontations. It first appears in A Link to the Past, where it has been infiltrated and usurped by the dark wizard Agahnim. Hyrule Castle next appears in Ocarina of Time where, in the future era, it has been torn down by Ganondorf, only to be replaced by Ganon's Castle. The castle appears briefly in the Oracle games as the home of the Triforce and, in The Wind Waker, the castle ruins appear beneath the Great Sea, a result of the Great Flood, and it is the resting place of the Master Sword. It appears once again in Four Swords Adventures, located near the center of Hyrule. The castle makes another appearance in The Minish Cap, where it is home to the Elemental Sanctuary that links Hyrule to the Minish Realm. The castle's latest appearances are in Twilight Princess, as the home of Princess Zelda which is later invaded by Zant, and in Spirit Tracks, where it is the home of Princess Zelda and dwells in the shadow of the Tower of Spirits.

Kakariko Village is a recurring locale throughout the series. First appearing as the primary Hyrulean settlement in A Link to the Past, it is seen again in Ocarina of Time, where it rests in the foothills of Death Mountain and the village's origins are elaborated upon, revealing it to have been founded by the Sheikah. The village's primary founder and leader is the nursemaid of Princess Zelda, Impa. Four Swords Adventures shows the village once more, closely matching the location and appearance of the village in A Link to the Past. In Twilight Princess it is once again located in the foothills of Death Mountain, but it is depicted as a rugged dwelling built into the cliffs of Death Mountain.

Hyrule Castle Town, also known simply as "Castle Town", is the capital city of Hyrule and the heart of the country's commerce as well as the seat of its government. The city has much history surrounding it, and two of its most important structures depicted in the series have been Hyrule Castle, the city's namesake, and the ancient Temple of Time that serves as the primary gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm. The city's marketplace is usually depicted to be a bustling metropolis where Hyruleans come to engage in business and trade. As a means of some protection, the city is usually surrounded by a moat that is only accessible by bridges or drawbridges. Throughout the Zelda series, the city has been prone to conflict multiple times and has been the subject of invasion more than once.

Goron City is the main dwelling of the Goron race, deep within Death Mountain caverns. The city itself is built inside one large cavern with multiple levels. In Ocarina of Time, the chieftain's chamber is a secret passageway leading into Death Mountain Crater, from which the Fire Temple can be accessed. Goron City thrives on the Bomb Flower crop that grows on Death Mountain. A similar dwelling for the Gorons is depicted in Twilight Princess up on Death Mountain, where it is home to the Goron Mines and the resting place of one of the Fused Shadows.

Zora's Domain is the home of the aquatic Zora race. The domain debuted in A Link to the Past as Zora's Waterfall, which was a series of waterfalls and waterways in northeastern Hyrule leading from a single large waterfall, underneath which lived the ruler of the Zoras in that game. The domain, however, took on its modern-day appearance in Ocarina of Time, where it is located in southeastern Hyrule and is depicted as a large cavern through which runs the waters of Zora's Fountain. The domain next appears in Twilight Princess, where it greatly mirrors its Ocarina of Time appearance, with a few differences, including the domain being the path to the Snowpeak mountain range.

The Gerudo's Fortress is the home of the Gerudo race from the Gerudo Desert. The fortress is made almost completely of stone and is built into the cliffs of Gerudo Valley, near the entrance of the Haunted Wasteland. The Gerudo and their home-dwelling appear again in Four Swords Adventures, though this time in southwestern Hyrule under the name of the Desert of Doubt, and the Gerudo do not live in a great fortress as they did in Ocarina of Time but rather in huts near the southwestern corner of Hyrule.

Primary Waterways
The primary source of Hyrule's major water bodies stems from Zora's Fountain. Zora's Fountain rests behind the caverns of Zora's Domain at the time of Ocarina of Time, where it is shown to also be home to the Ice Cavern and the Zoras' patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. While Zora's Domain reappears in Twilight Princess, Zora's Fountain has all but vanished. However, the source of Zora's River now resides in the throne room of the Zora royalty.

The spring first feeds the mighty Zora's River, which has been consistently shown to run a strong and swift current. After flowing across of much of Hyrule's landscape, Zora's River eventually terminates at Lake Hylia. Lake Hylia, which is one of the largest bodies of water in Hyrule, first appears as a large lake with a single island in its center located in the southeastern section of Hyrule in A Link to the Past. It next appears in Ocarina of Time, where it is now located in the southwestern section of the country and has an island with a single tree on it, below which is located the sacred Water Temple. The lake makes its next official appearance in Four Swords Adventures, where it is shown to be a two-tiered lake residing in Hyrule's northeastern region. In The Minish Cap, Lake Hylia follows the tradition of being connected directly the source of water via a river, and having a single large island off center. In Twilight Princess, Lake Hylia, like in Ocarina of Time, is fed by Zora's River, flowing all the way from Zora's Domain. It is also home to the Lakebed Temple located far beneath the lake's waters.

Lake Floria appears in SS undefined as the home of Faron the Water Dragon. Once Link heals her, she allows him into the Ancient Cistern. Lake Floria is also home to the Parella race.

Smaller Water Bodies
Fishing is a popular Hyrulean pastime seen in multiple games throughout the series. A variety of fish inhabit Hyrule's rivers and streams, and several ponds have been set up to allow convenient places to fish. The first Hyrulean fishing hole was seen in Ocarina of Time, and was located near Lake Hylia on the far side of the lake. Fishing returns in Twilight Princess, with a new fishing hole set up near Zora's River and run by Hena.

Veil Falls is the so-called "Source of the Flow" of Hyrule in The Minish Cap. The falls serve as the primary source of water for Lake Hylia as well as all of Hyrule.

Tundra
Snowpeak is the name of the cold mountain range in the northern region of Hyrule in Twilight Princess, with its entrance at Zora's Domain. The only notable location in this region is the fort-like structure, the Snowpeak Ruins, which houses a shard of the Mirror of Twilight. It is also home to the Yeti race.

Temporarily Frozen Areas
Frozen Hyrule is the name of the southern region of Hyrule from Four Swords Adventures. This region used to be the road to the Realm of the Heavens and the home of the Tower of Winds, but Vaati's evil magic transformed it into a frozen wasteland. The Temple of Ice is located in this region, as is the sacred Four Sword Sanctuary.

Zora's Domain becomes a frozen water-body in Ocarina of Time's later age, which is only thawed out after Link defeats Morpha in the Water Temple. In Twilight Princess, when Link first visits Zora's Domain, he finds that the river has been frozen solid by Zant's power. To thaw out the frozen land, the young hero warps a gigantic volcanic rock from Death Mountain to the domain, using it to shatter the ice at the river's source in the Zora throne room, heating the water to jump-start the flow back to its normal pace and refilling Lake Hylia in the process.

Traditional obstacles of frozen lands in Hyrule include tall walls of snow, frequent blizzards, arctic blasts of wind, enemies that are able to freeze Link, slippery terrain, and falling icicles.

Swamps
The Adventure of Link introduced two neighboring swamps, Moruge Swamp and Midoro Swamp. Both were north of the Water Town of Saria along a series of mountains. Midoro Swamp, slightly further northeast of Moruge Swamp, seated the Midoro Palace. Link moves much slower while traversing the swamplands in both the overworld map and split screen views. The only enemies lurking the swamplands were octoroks and mobies.

The Swamp is the name of a murky mire located to the south of Hyrule Castle in Four Swords Adventures. Kaepora Gaebora tells the four Links that the Swamp was once home to many creatures that have been driven away by the machinations of Vaati, who poisoned the Swamp's waters and cast unending darkness across its skies. The four Links soon learn that the Swamp is a large expanse of marshland complete with many caves and paths of lilypads that offer the only means of crossing the poisonous waters of the Swamp. The graveyard, which lies on the firmer grounds of The Swamp, is home to Dampé, the sole inhabitant of the area.

Castor Wilds is the name of an enormous marshland that inhabits the entire southwestern sector of Hyrule in The Minish Cap. It is home to the Wind Ruins and the Fortress of Winds, the former home of the Wind Tribe that protects the Wind Element, far to its southern borders. To cross this inhospitable marshland, Link needs the assistance of the Pegasus Shoes. The entire swamp is filled with enemies, such as ropes and eyegores, who inhabit not only the patches of solid ground throughout the region but also the caves that lead into the surrounding cliffs.

Mountain Ranges
Death Mountain is one of the oldest and most recurring locales in Hyrule throughout the series, having been present in nearly every incarnation of Hyrule since the original The Legend of Zelda. In that game, Death Mountain is a great mountain range residing in the northern section of Hyrule and serves as the hideout of Ganon. What is thought to be the same Death Mountain reappears in The Adventure of Link, where it is a mountain range located in the southwestern corner of the now-expanded land of Hyrule. The mountain's next appearance is in A Link to the Past, where it is home to the Tower of Hera in the Light World and home to Ganon's Tower and Turtle Rock in its Dark World incarnation. In Ocarina of Time, the mountain is an active volcano and home to the rock-eating Goron race, Dodongo's Cavern, and the sacred Fire Temple. Four Swords features Death Mountain as a volcanic environment as well, and it serves as one of the main regions explored in the game. The mountain reappears in Four Swords Adventures, retaining a similar appearance to the Ocarina of Time version and being home to the Gorons as well as the Tower of Flames. The mountain appears in Twilight Princess, where it retains its status as an active volcano, the home of the Gorons and is the location of the Goron Mines.

Maze Island is a massive island located off the shores of Eastern Hyrule in The Adventure of Link. It is the home of the Maze Island Palace that Link must visit in order to restore one of the six magical crystals to its proper place. The island is a foreboding place with unfriendly terrain, the mountains and rocky pathways lead to a maze-like pattern about the island. Also in The Adventure of Link is the Valley of Death, which is a a mountain range on the southwestern section of Eastern Hyrule and seats the Great Palace, the resting place of the Triforce of Courage. The region is filled with enemies, one of which include Moas that infest the area and force Link into confrontations on his way to the Great Palace. The valley is implied to be one of the King's tests for the hero that would come to seek the Triforce, to test his resourcefulness, determination, and to obtain the last of the three pieces of the Triforce.

Mount Crenel is a mountain range residing in Hyrule's northwestern sector in The Minish Cap. It is home to the sweltering and dangerous Cave of Flames as well as a special spring water that has certain special abilities to make certain plants grow at an accelerated rate.

Eldin Volcano is a volcano, located on the Surface World in Skyward Sword. It is an active volcano, and is home to the Mogma who have a thing for treasure. Recently, the volcano has been taken over by Bokoblins and other monsters. It is implied by Fi to have extremely high temperatures and that many creatures who live here have adapted to the heat and flames. Also located inside Eldin Volcano is the Volcano Summit. The Volcano Summit is the crater of Eldin Volcano, and is so hot that the walls are bubblely magma. Fi, says that 65% of Eldin Volcano is covered by lava, while the remaining 35% is composed of steep hills, cliffs, and even the underground tunnels of the area.

Forests


The Lost Woods are a mysterious forest that appears in most Zelda games. Its first appearance was in, where it is a simple repeating screen. In it is located in northwestern Hyrule and is the resting place of the Master Sword, while its Dark World counterpart is the Skeleton Forest. The Lost Woods in contain several secret tunnels and portals to other areas like Death Mountain and Zora's River, as well as other worlds like Termina (as revealed in Majora's Mask). The major point of interest in the Lost Woods in this incarnation is an isolated place called the Sacred Forest Meadow, location of the Forest Temple. In Four Swords Adventures, the Lost Woods are Ganon's base of power. It has recently been corrupted, and was once known as the Forest of Light.

The Kokiri Forest is the homeland of the Kokiri and the orphaned Hero of Time. It is located near the Lost Woods. Although the Kokiri Forest itself does not appear in The Wind Waker, its remains are theorized to be the Forest Haven and the nearby Forbidden Woods. Likewise, although the Kokiri Forest does not appear in Twilight Princess, striking similarities between the Kokiri settlement and Ordon Village, combined with the nearby Forest Temple resembling the Deku Tree and bearing the Kokiri symbol, has led some to theorize that Ordon Village may be the former Kokiri Forest.

The Minish Woods are a forest in the southeastern corner of Hyrule in The Minish Cap. The Minish Woods are the only known place where the tiny race of beings are known to still reside. The woods themselves cover the entire southeastern corner of Hyrule and feature many small pools of water, as well as the Minish Village. They also border the Lake Hylia region just to the north of the woods and are home to Syrup's hut. Beyond the Minish Village is the Deepwood Shrine that is home to the Earth Element and was once used as a meeting place between Humans and the Minish.

The Ordon Woods are a small section of forest on the outskirts of Ordon Village in Twilight Princess. On the outskirts of the Ordon Woods lies Link's House and further in lies the Ordon Spring, a special spring dedicated to Ordona, the Light Spirit.

The Faron Woods appear in Twilight Princess and make up much of the Faron Province in southern Hyrule. This area is shrouded in twilight early in the story, causing Link to transform into his wolf form. Both the Forest Temple and the Sacred Grove are located deep within Faron Woods. The forest is guarded by the Light Spirit known as Faron, who takes the form of a divine bird when approached at his spring. The Faron Woods are also the only path connecting the Ordona Province to Hyrule Field, thus necessitating travel through the forest for those entering or leaving Ordon Village.

The Sacred Grove is the hidden forest in Twilight Princess, long forgotten by the general public of Hyrule, though the members of the Royal Family remain aware of its existence and importance. The grove is located across the canyons surrounding the Forest Temple and can only be reached by those having some method of traveling by air. It is inhabited by a mischievous Skull Kid and two statue guardians. The ancient ruins of the Temple of Time are located here as well. It is also the resting place of the Master Sword. The meadow housing the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time are guarded by the two statues, placed there to test the mettle of the hero. The temple can be accessed through a time portal contained within the temple's original door, which still stands in the Sacred Grove in the present time of Twilight Princess.

Farms and Fields
Hyrule Field comprises the central region of Hyrule in many games. Generally, it connects to most other regions in Hyrule, and has been the location of Lon Lon Ranch. Peahats, Stalchildren, Big Poes, and various other enemies dot the landscape. The center of the field is often Hyrule Town. The Hyrule Field that appears in Twilight Princess is comprised of three provinces.

Lon Lon Ranch appears in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, and The Minish Cap. This ranch is usually home to Malon, Talon, and Ingo and produces most of Hyrule's Milk. Ingo had been given the ranch by Ganondorf after he came to power, and was a manipulative and uncaring employer. He would beat the horses if Malon did not obey him. In The Minish Cap, Lon Lon Ranch is a small farm just outside of Hyrule Town and is on the main road to Lake Hylia.

Royal Valley is the final resting place for members of the Royal Family of Hyrule when they pass on into the next world at the time of The Minish Cap, largely filling the role held in other games by the Kakariko Graveyard. The valley, located just to the west of Hyrule Castle in Hyrule's northern regions, has an overall eerie atmosphere, with little to no natural light penetrating the dark gloom that is prevalent all over the valley. The only living resident of the valley is Dampé, the graveyard keeper, who resides in a hut near the entrance of the graveyard. The most prominent of those who rest in the valley however is Gustaf, a great former ruler of Hyrule and ancestor of Daltus and Princess Zelda.

Deserts


Parapa and Tantari Deserts are large expanses of desert in the northern regions of Western Hyrule in The Adventure of Link. Parapa Palace resides in the northeastern corner of the same-named desert.

The Desert of Mystery is the location of the Desert Palace and the Pendant of Wisdom in. The desert seemingly has a single entrance located at its southeastern border, and is lined with rock walls. Vultures and an array of sand-related monsters attack those trying to cross the desert. Located on an outcropping at the southwestern corner of the desert is one of the portals leading to the Dark World, this particular portal leading to the desert's Dark World counterpart, the Swamp of Evil.

The Haunted Wasteland is a long stretch of desert prone to violent sandstorms that appears in Ocarina of Time. Link must traverse this desert in order to reach the far-flung Spirit Temple inside of the Desert Colossus. There are two challenges to overcome in order to pass safely, or else be caught in the sandstorm and return to the edge of the desert. First, cross the River of Sand, secondly, follow the flagposts to reach the Phantom Guide. Using the Lens of Truth, Link will be guided by a Poe until he reaches the Desert Colossus. The entrance to the Haunted Wasteland is protected by the Gerudo, who only grant access to the desert to bearers of the Gerudo Token.

The Desert of Doubt is the sixth level of Four Swords Adventures and the homeland of the Gerudo and Zuna tribes. Notable features of this desert are the Desert Temple and the forbidden Pyramid, where the Trident of Power is kept. The builders of this Pyramid were ancestors of the Zuna tribe. The Gerudo, who reside at the desert's far southern borders, are the gatekeepers of the desert. Because of the evil power within the Pyramid, the Desert Temple was built to prevent people from reaching it. Ganondorf breaks Gerudo law by entering this Pyramid and stealing the Trident, which transforms him into the King of Darkness.

The Gerudo Desert is a desert in Twilight Princess. The desert is thought to take its name from the Gerudo tribe of thieves (though they do not appear in this story), as well as some of the desert's features such as the Gerudo Mesa. It is a vast and arid desert, overlooked by the Arbiter's Grounds, resting place of the Mirror of Twilight and home of the Sages. Bulblins have set up camp around the prison complex and have erected barricades near the prison. The missing piece of the Bridge of Eldin was teleported to the Gerudo Mesa after Link crossed it earlier in the story, and the Cave of Ordeals can be reached once it is warped back to its original location.

The Lanayru Desert is in the far west of the surface world of Skyward Sword and contains the Temple of Time as well as the Lanayru Mining Facility. This area is inhabited by Ancient Robots who once mined the area when it was rich and green in the distant past. Farther south is the Lanayru Sand Sea, which was once an ocean and contains the Sandship.

The Sky
The Palace of Winds, originally known as Vaati's Palace, is the bastion of the wind sorcerer Vaati in the Four Swords sub-series. It is an immense, floating structure high above Hyrule. In Four Swords, after escaping his prison due to the weakening of the seal on the Four Sword, Vaati carries Princess Zelda off to the palace. Link then takes up the Four Sword and journeys across Hyrule as four individuals to reach Vaati's Palace, floating high over Hyrule. There, the four Links work together to vanquish Vaati, resealing him within the Four Sword's blade. It reappears as the final dungeon of Four Swords Adventures, and its origins are explained later on in its third appearance, The Minish Cap. In this story, it is revealed that the true builders of the Palace of Winds were the people of the so-called Wind Tribe, who at some point moved the palace up out of the Wind Ruins and into the Cloud Tops.

The Realm of the Heavens is the eighth and final stage of Four Swords Adventures. It encompasses the land above the clouds and is composed of three areas: the Realm of the Heavens itself, the Dark Cloud, and the Palace of Winds. The terrain of the Realm of the Heavens consists entirely of clouds and is located high above Hyrule, making any small missteps quite dangerous.

The Cloud Tops constitute the so-called "Land Above the Clouds" featured in The Minish Cap. It is the home of the Tower of Winds, home of the Wind Tribe, as well as the immense Palace of Winds guarded by said tribe. It is said that only members of the Wind Tribe can walk on the clouds, alongside surface-dwellers that are especially pure of heart. The primary means of reaching the Cloud Tops from the surface of Hyrule is by means of a whirlwind located at the pinnacle of Veil Springs, perched atop Veil Falls.

The City in the Sky is an immense set of floating buildings that drift high in the clouds over Hyrule in Twilight Princess. It is inhabited by the mysterious Oocca, a race of chicken-like beings that have been hinted to possess great powers they have yet to exhibit. Travel once took place between the Oocca in the City in the Sky and surface-dwellers (namely the Royal Family) by means of the Sky Cannon. Using the Dominion Rod and the Ancient Sky Book, Link is able to locate and repair the Sky Cannon, launching himself up to the city while on his quest for the shards of the Mirror of Twilight. The city itself runs on many complex machines that are run solely on the power of the winds that surround it. For example, the city's structures are kept afloat by many gigantic and powerful propellers that support them.

Skyloft is a floating island located above the clouds in Skyward Sword and it is the place where Link was born and raised. The citizens of Skyloft, including Link, are unaware of any other world outside of Skyloft. However, a land below the clouds known as Hyrule is eventually discovered as being ruled by evil forces, forcing Link to leave Skyloft and finding himself traveling back and forth between these two lands, Skyloft and the kingdom of Hyrule, with the help of the Skyward Sword.