Hyrule

Hyrule is the mythical land that most of the Zelda games take place in. It is the home to the Royal Family of Hyrule, and usually, Link. It has had a rough history.

Formation
Hyrule, along with the rest of the universe, was created by the three goddesses: Din, Nayru, and Farore. They balanced out their powers to give the land a certain characteristic. They created man and woman, and the races. After completing the land, they left the kingdom, and in their leaving place, left the sacred relic, Triforce. Their leaving place became known as the Sacred Realm.

During the process, their magical breath slipped through cracks in time and space, inadverdantly creating thousands of alternate dimensions, including Termina.

Evil interlopers spread through the land, attempting to break into the Sacred Realm, but were sealed away by the goddesses into another universe known as the Twilight Realm. The descendants of the interlopers became known as the Twili. The device used to banish evil to this land was left in the hands of seven ancient sages. This device, the Twilight Mirror, was stored at the ancient prison, Arbiter's Grounds, in Gerudo Desert.

Eventually, Hyrule Castle and Castle Town were constructed, as well as other villages, such as Kakariko Village.

The Imprisoning War
Link and Princess Zelda were born. Link's mother was wounded in a bloody civil war among the races, and brought him to the Great Deku Tree in Kokiri Woods before she passed away.

Raised as a Kokiri without a fairy, Link was called upon one day by the Deku Tree to receive Navi the fairy as his companion. Armed with a Kokiri Sword and Wooden Shield, he ventured into the Deku Tree to destroy a giant parasite, Queen Gohma, killing the Deku Tree. Even though he destroyed the creature, it was too late, and the Great Deku Tree died.

Ganondorf, a Gerudo from Gerudo Desert, attempted to break into the Sacred Realm. He stalked Link to Death Mountain and Zora's Domain, where he attempted to lift curses laid down by Ganondorf and receive the Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire. These, along with the Kokiri Emerald, unlocked the Door of Time in the Temple of Time, where the Master Sword lay, leading to the Sacred Realm. Ganon entered the Sacred Realm, freezing Link in time.

In the seven years Link was frozen away, Ganondorf gained hold of the Triforce of Power, turning the Sacred Realm into the Dark World, scattering the two remaining triangles, and taking over Hyrule in a conflict known as the Imprisoning War.

Link, unfrozen in time and now an adult, was tasked by Rauru to awaken the six descendants of the ancient seven sages. Link did so, and managed to best Ganondorf in combat at his castle, built where Hyrule Castle previously stood.

With his last remaining energy, Ganondorf morphed himself using the Triforce of Power into the dark beast Ganon. Zelda used her magic to paralyze Ganon, and the sages sealed him away in the Sacred Realm.

The Imprisoning War was over, and with Link sent back to his childhood, the timeline was restored.

Invasion of Twilight
The ancient seven sages of the Twilight Mirror released Ganondorf from his prison in the Dark World to await execution at Arbiter's Grounds. The execution ritual called for chaining Ganon to a giant boulder and impaling him with a blade of light. Ganon briefly was killed, but the Triforce of Power revived him. He used the Triforce's energy to break free and kill a sage, but another activated the Twilight Mirror, sending him into the Twilight Realm and reducing him to an energy matter.

100 years after the Imprisoning War, Zant, member of the Twili, was a candidate to become the Twilight King, ruler of the Twilight Realm. He was passed over, driving him to the brink of insanity. The spirit of Ganondorf approached him, posing as a god, granting him power and kinghood in exchange for breaking him out the the realm.

Zant agreed.

With his newfound power, Zant transformed the Twili into shadow beasts and unleashed Twilight matter onto Hyrule after Princess Zelda, descendant of the original, surrendered to him. This matter reduced people to spirit form. Ganon, free, began to slowly, and secretly, take over. A rancher, also named Link, was pulled into the Twilight after monsters raided his village. Instead of becoming a spirit, he became a werewolf.

He broke free from the twilight with the help of Midna, a Twili imp. Together, they fused together the shards of the Fused Shadow, an artifact containing the dark power of the ancient dark interlopers.

With the twilight lifted by returning the power to the four light spirits, Link pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. He ventured out the reassemble the Twilight Mirror, shattered by Zant.

The mirror was reassembled, and Link confronted and bested Zant, though not killing him, for as long as Ganondorf remains alive, he cannot die.

Link confronted Ganondorf in Hyrule Castle, and after a fight with Princess Zelda, possessed by Ganon, he faced him in his beast form, on horseback, and a close quarters sword duel. Link ran his sword through Ganon's chest, killing him and killing Zant as well through Ganon's death.

The road between the Twilight Realm and Hyrule was closed when Midna destroyed the Twilight Mirror.

The flood
Sometime after the Twilight incident, Ganon was revived and sent back to the Sacred Realm, possibly through a ritual by his mothers, Koume and Kotake. He somehow escaped the Sacred Realm again, and the next Link in the bloodline did not rise. He managed to take over, but the godesses flooded Hyrule to destroy him. The population was evacuated to the mountaintops, whoever was left behind was wiped out. A seal was put over Hyrlue and the newly created Great Sea, keeping Hyrule intact while keeping Ganon's powers dormant, and him and his dominions frozen in time.

He managed to break free from his seal, abolish the powers of the Master Sword, and become active again.

A boy, Link, believed to be the original hero reincarnated, surfaced.

Destruction
Restoring the powers of the Master Sword after inadverdantly giving the dark lord his powers back, Link and his boat, the King of Red Lions (King Daphnes Hyrule III operating the boat from under the sea) awakened the next Princess Zelda in the bloodline and killed Ganon once again by thrusting the sword through Ganondorf's skull.

The Triforce was gathered, and King Hyrule III wished for the protective shield over Hyrule to be destroyed to prevent any other evil from taking the land. Waters poured down, destroying Hyrule.

Link and Zelda set out to find the next Hyrule. This will be chronicaled in the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

The rest of Hyrule's history is not chronologically detailed. Though it is known Ganon somehow returned, but was killed for good in the original Legend of Zelda, and an attempt was made to revive him in The Adventure of Link.

Landmarks
Hyrule has many areas and landmarks in it, not all of them in all of the games.

Death Mountain
Death Mountain is a large mountain in the most northern part of Hyrule. It eventually became a mountain range that spread to the left and right of the original Death Mountain. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (as Dragon Roost Island), The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Turtle Rock
Turtle Rock was a large rock that looked like a turtle that was on Death Mountain in the Dark World. A cavern was inside of the mouth of it that only opened when there was an earthquake. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (not the same one as in ALttP)

Tower of Hera
The Tower of Hera was a tall tower on Death Mountain. A Moldorm lived on top of it. The Moon Pearl was somewhere in the tower. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Lake Hylia
Lake Hylia is a lake in Hyrule. It is always in one of the southern corners of Hyrule. It connected to Zora's Domain early in Hyrule's life. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Ice Palace
The Ice Palace was a large palace full of ice that was in the middle of Lake Hylia in the Dark World. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Zora's Domain
Zora's Domain was a cavern with water in it that was home to the Zoras. Zora's Fountain was behind it, and behind that was the Ice Cave. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Waterfall of Wishing
The Waterfall of Wishing was a large waterfall that was home to the Zolas. It is located where Zora's Domain used to be. The Zola's leader resided inside the waterfall. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Lost Woods
The Lost Woods is a large forest. It is always on the eastern or western part of Hyrule. It is home to Deku Scrubs and Skullkids in earlier Hyrule times, and later, it is full of thieves and small woodland animals. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Kokiri Forest
The Kokiri Forest is a wooded area near the Lost Woods that was home to the Kokiri and The Great Deku Tree. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (as the Forest Haven)

Southern Swamp
The Southern Swamp was a swamp located in southern Hyrule later in Hyrule's life. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Haunted Wasteland
The Haunted Wasteland was a large desert region of Hyrule in the eastern area of Hyrule. It is home to the Gerudos, who had made a fortress near it. Only a Gerudos or people accepted by them could go into the Wastleland. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Gerudo Fortress
The place where the Gerudo lived. It was a cliff right outside the Haunted Wasteland that the Gerudo had created a fortress on. They send non-Gerudos to jail if they catch them in the fortress. It also appeared as a seaside fortress in Termina. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Desert Colossus
A large temple dedicated to the Sand Goddess of the Gerudo. The outside of it looked like the Goddess. It was the headquarters of the high-ranked Gerudo. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Desert of Mystery
The Desert of Mystery was a small desert to the south of where the Haunted Wasteland used to be. It was home to many sand-related species and vultures. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Hyrule Castle
The castle where the Royal Family of Hyrule lives. A river usually goes around it. It was grey with blue and/or purple spires. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Pyramid of Power
The Pyramid of Power was the Dark World version of Hyrule Castle. It was a large, golden pyramid. Some things were inside of it, like a fairy fountain and the chamber that held the Triforce. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Hyrule Castle Town
Hyrule Castle Town was a town that is situated right in front of the castle. Many people live there. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Temple of Time
The Temple of Time is where the Master Sword was before it was ever used. It was the portal between the normal realm and the Sacred Realm. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Kakariko Village
Kakariko Village was once a village full of the Sheikah, but they eventually died out and Impa let other people live in the village. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Graveyard
The graveyard was behind Kakariko Village, but eventually it moved to a different location. It was home to Poes and other ghosts. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Hyrule in Adventure of Link
Hyrule in Zelda II: Adventure of Link was much, much larger than Hyrule in the other games. It was the only Hyrule big enough to actually be considered a kingdom. There were many towns in it that were named after the sages of Ocarina of Time. It also had many landmarks and mountains, even a few islands.

Hyrule in the Minish Cap
In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Hyrule looked similar to A Link to the Past's Hyrule, but some of the landmarks had different names (aside from Lon Lon Ranch, Lake Hylia, Hyrule Castle Town and Hyrule Castle). There was the Minish Woods (as opposed to Lost Woods), Crenel Mountain (as opposed to Death Mountain), Castor Wilds (as opposed to the Southern Swamp) and Falls (as opposed to the Waterfall of Wishing).