Hyrule Castle (Breath of the Wild)

Hyrule Castle is the fifth and final dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It is located in the Hyrule Field region of the Central Hyrule province, and it is controlled by Calamity Ganon. Several named locations appear inside and outside the castle.

Lockup
Within the dungeon there is a section of Hyrule Castle called Lockup. It apparently once served as the Castle's dungeon as it contains prison cells filled with monsters. Going through Lockup is optional however it will reward Link with valuable equipment. Link can also take on the "Test of the Royal Guard" in which he must defeat a Stalnox imprisoned within one of the cells. Defeating the giant results in Link being recognized as a Knight of Hyrule and he is rewarded with a Treasure Chest containing the mighty Hylian Shield, the strongest shield in the game, which can take up to 27 Guardian's Laser shots before breaking.

Library
The Library has many of the entrances leading to the secret underground tunnels and hallways within Hyrule Castle. The library is filled with Lizalfos enemies which can be killed for their weapons. Using the Magnesis Rune, Link can pull bookshelves out of the walls to reveal secret tunnels that lead deeper into the dungeon.

Dining Hall
The Dining Hall is a room containing Moblins which can be fought and killed for their weapons. The Royal Guard's Spear can be found hiding inside the fireplace as well as a recipe book that helps Link complete the side quest "A Royal Recipe". There is also many raw and cooked ingredients that can be looted.

Sanctum
Calamity Ganon is battled in the Sanctum, a room located atop the castle.

Optional battles
If Link rushes to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon, he will first have to face the Scourges of the Divine Beasts that have not been beforehand freed and their bosses defeated.

Story
Before the Great Calamity and 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Castle was originally home to King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule and his daughter Princess Zelda of the Royal Family of Hyrule as did Zelda's late mother who pasted some time after Zelda was born. The castle was protected by Hyrulean Soldiers and Knights of Hyrule stationed there as guards. The Sheikah Purah and Robbie worked their for a time assisting Princess Zelda in her research of ancient Sheikah technology. Link himself was already a talented young Knight of Hyrule who was appointed to serve as Princess Zelda's bodyguard.

Eventually King Rhoam and Zelda became aware that the seal that had been placed on Calamity Ganon by a previous incarnation of Zelda 10,000 years prior following his defeat by the Divine Beasts and an incarnation of the hero would soon break. As the Divine Beasts and Guardians built by the Sheikah to combat Calamity Ganon had been buried after the people of Hyrule became fearful of the potential misuse of Sheikah technology, King Rhoam and Zelda sought the aid of the Sheikah still loyal to the Royal Family to excavate and research Sheikah technology in preparation for combating the threat posed by Ganon's imminent return. King Rhoam and Princess Zelda selected four Champions from the Gerudo, Goron, Rito, and Zora lead by Princess Zelda and her appointed knight, Link who was the current incarnation of the legendary hero.

Though Link was already a capable warrior and able to wield the Master Sword, Princess Zelda had trouble awakening her powers, much to her frustration which made her more interested in science, rather than prayer. Link accompanied Princess Zelda on a quest to visit the Spring of Courage, Spring of Power, and Spring of Wisdom so she could pray to Hylia to awaken her powers which were necessary to seal Ganon. However when Ganon finally returned, having learned from his previous defeat used his power to corrupt both the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, killing the Champions that piloted them. With the other Champions dead and Ganon controlling the Guardians and Divine Beasts, much of Hyrule was destroyed and King Rhoam was killed. Princess Zelda, Link, and their Sheikah allies as well as some of the soldiers and Knights managed to escape. The Knights and Soldiers regrouped at the Akkala Citadel which is where they made their doomed valiant last stand against the guardians and monsters. Princess Zelda and Link fled to Fort Hateno where Link confronted an army of Guardians, but was eventually overpowered and injured defending Zelda and the fort. Just as they were about to be killed, Zelda's powers finally awoke and she defeated the remaining Guardians. However Link's injuries were severe and she was forced to entrust Link's care to Impa, Purah, and Robbie who placed him in an old Sheikah medical facility called the Shrine of Resurrection. After Link was injured the spirit of Master Sword spoke to Zelda and convince her that her role was not finished. After entrusting the Master Sword to the protection of Great Deku Tree, Zelda returned to the castle and sealed both herself and Ganon within. However despite being sealed Ganon influence and Malice could still spread through the castle and surrounding areas turning it and the areas around into a no man's land where only the brave and foolish dare approach as the area was defended by Ganon's minions. Zelda remained sealed within the Castle with Ganon and kept him sealed for 100 years while Link recovered and the events that lead to the fall of Hyrule Castle, became known as the Great Calamity.

100 years after the Great Calamity, Link finally awakens and Zelda guides him to the Great Plateau Tower where he sees Calamity Ganon swirling around Hyrule Castle as he tries to break free though Zelda manages to stop him from escaping completely for the time being. After explaining that he has been asleep for 100 years, she tells Link to try and remember his past as the healing process had robbed Link of most of his memory. The spirit of King Rhoam takes the guide of an Old Man and after helping Link obtain four Spirit Orbs, reveals his true identity and he explains the events that lead to the Great Calamity. King Rhoam gives Link the Paraglider and the quest to defeat Calamity Ganon to free his daughter and save the Kingdom of Hyrule, before directing Link to seek out Impa in Kakariko Village.

Though Link can choose to go immediately to Hyrule Castle after leaving the Great Plateau, doing so is extremely dangerous as Link will be ill equipped to deal with the dangers of the Castle itself. Instead Link should first complete the Free the Divine Beasts and The Hero's Sword main quests. Though once properly equipped Link can make trips to the Castle to explore sections of it. Ultimately, Hyrule Castle serves as the location of Link's final battle with Ganon.

Items

 * Royal Bow
 * Royal Claymore
 * Royal Halberd
 * Great Thunderblade
 * Hylian Shield

Inside the castle

 * Dining Hall
 * Docks
 * East Passage
 * First Gatehouse
 * Guards' Chamber
 * King's Study
 * Library
 * Lockup
 * Observation Room
 * Princess Zelda's Room
 * Princess Zelda's Study
 * Saas Ko'sah Shrine
 * Sanctum
 * Second Gatehouse
 * West Passage

Outside the castle

 * Boneyard Bridge
 * Helmhead Bridge
 * Hyrule Castle Moat
 * Hyrule Forest Park
 * Moat Bridge
 * Royal Ancient Lab Ruins

Town ruins

 * Castle Town Watchtower
 * Castle Town Prison
 * Central Square
 * East Castle Town
 * Hyrule Castle Town Ruins
 * Hyrule Cathedral
 * Quarry Ruins
 * Water Reservoir
 * West Castle Town

Mini-Bosses

 * Stalnox (Hyrule Castle Lockup)
 * Stone Talus

Bosses

 * Calamity Ganon
 * Dark Beast Ganon

Optional bosses

 * Waterblight Ganon
 * Fireblight Ganon
 * Windblight Ganon
 * Thunderblight Ganon