Hyrule

The Kingdom of Hyrule is the fictional land in which most of the Zelda games take place. Many important battles and events have taken place there, and it is filled with a multitude of creatures, races and places. Hyrule is traditionally governed by a Royal Family. There may be multiple Hyrules throughout the series.

Formation
Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land Hyrule. They were Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the Goddess of Courage.

Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all the life forms who would uphold the law.

When the three Goddesses were done, they also created the Triforce as the seal of the land. They also created the Sacred Realm to house the Triforce. The three Goddesses then left the land, leaving the Triforce behind.

Hyrulean Civil War
Apparently the first major war of Hyrule, the Hyrulean Civil War ended roughly 10 years before the Imprisoning War. Little is known about this war, other than that the victors were the Hylians, helped by their newfound allies, the Gerudo. The only large outcome of this war was uniting all of Hyrule under the crown of the Royal Family. It is believed that this war was sparked by a group of powerful dark magicians known as the Dark Interlopers, who attempted to steal the Triforce from the Sacred Realm for their own ends and were subsequently banished to the Twilight Realm by the Golden Goddesses as punishment.

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 Forest 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 Deku Shield, he ventured into the Deku Tree to destroy a giant parasite, Queen Gohma who was 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 Link 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. Zelda used the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood, and with Link sent back to his childhood, and once again sneaked past the Royal Guard to warn Princess Zelda of the impending threat. Ganondorf was detained and the timeline was restored.

When Zelda sent Link back to his childhood, she created two split timelines of Hyrule, the timeline after the Imprisoning War, and the timeline that occured after Link warned Zelda in the past before the Imprisoning War.

Zant's Invasion of Hyrule
Once learning of Ganon's intentions, the king sentenced him to death under the charge of treason. He was sent to Arbiter's Grounds to await execution. 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.

One hundred 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 wolf, or a blue-eyed beast as Faron called him.

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 Great Flood
In an alternate timeline, several centuries after the adventures of the adult Link from Ocarina of Time, Ganon somehow escaped the Sacred Realm, and the next Link in the bloodline did not rise since the Hero of Time had been sent back to the other timeline. He managed to take over, but the Goddesses flooded Hyrule to destroy him. The population was evacuated to the mountaintops, whoever was left behind was wiped out. A seal was put over Hyrule 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.

Foundation of a New Hyrule
Restoring the powers of the Master Sword after inadvertently giving the dark lord his powers back, Link and his boat, the King of Red Lions (King Daphnes Nohansen 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. On their journey, they help a man named Oshus. See The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

The rest of Hyrule's history is not chronologically detailed. Though it is known Ganon somehow returned (most likely reincarnated in Four Swords Adventures), but was killed for good in the original Legend of Zelda, and an attempt was made to revive him in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

The events of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link are suspected to take place in the New Hyrule founded by Link and Tetra.

War of the Bound Chest
Following the foundation of the New Hyrule by Link and Tetra, the forces of evil followed the new civilization to its new home and attacked the new kingdom in retaliation for the defeat of their dark master, the Dark Lord Ganondorf. When the world seemed to be on the verge of being swallowed by shadow, the Hero of Men (suspected to be a new title given to the Hero of Winds in the new land) was gifted a sword named the Picori Blade and a golden light known as the Light Force by the tiny Minish race that descended from the sky to assist the race of Men. Combining the powers of the Picori Blade with the powers of the Light Force, the Hero was able to lock the Army of Evil away in an enchanted chest known as the Bound Chest, which he sealed with the Picori Blade itself. The Light Force was then secretly sealed within the Princess of Hyrule, to be magically passed down to her heirs in succession. This secret (along with the history of the war) was depicted in a series of stained glass windows in a secret chamber within the Elemental Sanctuary that links the Minish Realm to Hyrule. So the new Hyrule was able to continue its growth in joy and peace. As a sign of gratitude, the Picori Festival was held each year to honor the Minish for their service in the war.

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

Hyrule Field
Hyrule Field is a large field where most other areas of Hyrule can be accessed. Because of its size, it is easiest to traverse riding a horse. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Lon Lon Ranch
Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Frozen Hyrule
Part of Hyrule was frozen during Vaati's third invasion. This area was referred to as Frozen Hyrule, but it was thawed out later. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Tower of Winds
Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

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. It is very volcanic. 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: Four Swords, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (as Dragon Roost Island), The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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. A similar rock is found on Koholint Island. 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, as well as the Pendant of Power. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Tower of Flames
The Tower of Flames is a tower built on Death Mountain. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Fire Temple
The Fire Temple lay deep within the Death Mountain Crater. Watched over by the rock-eating Goron race, it housed one of their greatest treasures: The Megaton Hammer. The Hero of Time ventured into this sweltering dungeon to awaken the Second Sage: Darunia the Sage of Fire, whom he had met on a previous journey up Death Mountain as a child seven years previously. In order to accomplish this, Link was forced to slay the mighty dragon Volvagia. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Goron Mines
The Goron Mines are mines built by Gorons. They are filled with machinery and magnets which attract Iron Boots. Link ventured the Goron Mines during the Twili Invasion, receiving the Hero's Bow and saving Darbus, the new leader of the Gorons, whilst also finding the second Fused Shadow. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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. Another lake is found in Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda, possibly the same one. 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: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Fountain of Happiness
The Fountain of Happiness is a fountain inhabited by Venus, queen of fairies. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

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

Water Temple
During the events of the Ocarina of Time Link journeyed through the Water Temple to awaken the fourth Sage: Ruto, the Zora princess he was "engaged" to be married to. It was here that Link found his Longshot, the upgraded version of his current Hookshot. Another temple, the Lakebed Temple, was explored during the Twili Invasion by a new Link, and it is highly likely that the two temples are the one and same. He received a similar item: The Clawshot. Both Links fought a version of Morpha, and the new Link recieved his last Fused Shadow. They may be the same temple. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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 Cavern. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Waterfall of Wishing
The Waterfall of Wishing was a large waterfall that was home to the Zoras. 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, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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)

Forest Temple
Located in the Sacred Forest Meadow, the Forest Temple was home to the first of the Sages that Link, the Hero of Time would awaken. As it happened, the Sage of the Forest was his childhood friend Saria. Hidden within the Temple was The Hero of Time's trusty Fairy Bow, along with a more unpleasant surprise: Phantom Ganon. Another Link journeys into a Forest Temple, perhaps the remains of the Great Deku Tree, during the Twilit Invasion to gather the first piece of the Fused Shadow. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Sea of Trees
The Sea of Trees is a forest southeast of Death Mountain. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

Ordon Village
Home of one of the Links. This town has children, a few cuccos, a shop and a small pond. This village is a part of the Ordon Province, an annex to Hyrule, and some do not consider it officially part of the country. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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 (In Termina), The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Haunted Wasteland
The Haunted Wasteland was a large desert region of Hyrule in the western 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

Spirit Temple
Link, the Hero of Time, was forced to journey into the Spirit Temple twice during his time traveling. Once as a child, and then again as an adult. Whilst there as a child, he met a Gerudo named Nabooru who, strangely, was opposed to the iron-fisted rule and the maniacal whims of Ganondorf. Because he was so small, she asked him to retrieve a special set of Silver Gauntlets for her so she might work against Ganondorf. Sadly, she was captured by Koume and Kotake, Ganondorf's "mothers of a sort" and sealed in a gap between dimensions. When Link returned to the Spirit Temple as an adult, he battled his way through the Temple, recovering the Mirror Shield and facing off with Koume and Kotake both separately and when they'd conjoined to form Twinrova. After defeating the deadly duo, Nabooru was freed, and awakened as the Sage of Spirit. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Arbiter's Grounds
During the Twili Invasion, Link traveled into the Arbiter's Grounds. It is the home of the Twilight Mirror. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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. In Zelda II it was called the North Castle. Games it has appeared in: 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 (underwater), The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, 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 The Ruins in front of Hyrule Castle in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker are suspected to perhaps to have been what was Castle Town. This fact is not confirmed.

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. It is said to have been constructed by the Sage of Light, Rauru. It is the only Temple that does not contain a maze or enemies, except in Twilight Princess. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Shadow Temple
During the Imprisoning War, the Hero of Time braved the House of the Dead, or the Shadow Temple to awaken the 4th Sage: Impa whom he had met seven years earlier as Zelda's Nursemaid. It was in this Temple that Link recovered his Hover Boots which allowed him to walk on air or water for a short amount of time. Once he reached the bottom of the Temple he faced off against an other-worldly foe: Bongo Bongo Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Eastern Temple
The Eastern Temple is a temple near Lake Hylia. A maiden was hidden here twice. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Village of the Blue Maiden
The Village of the Blue Maiden is a village south of the Eastern Temple. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Talus Caves
The Talus Caves are icy caverns located south of Death Mountain. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

Snowpeak
A large icy mountain in the north. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Snowpeak Ruins
Home of Yeto and Yeta. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Cave of No Return
This ominously named cave is located near Lake Hylia. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Above Hyrule
Much can be found in the sky of Hyrule.

Vaati's Palace
Also known as the Palace of Winds. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Cloud Tops
The Cloud Tops contain a tower that is home to the Wind Tribe. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

City in the Sky
The City in the Sky is home to the Oocca. There was a monster hidden in the depths of The City in the Sky, which was troubling the small Oocca and preventing them from living properly. Link traveled to the city to collect a piece of the Twilight Mirror, and vanquished the monster. Games it has appeared in: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda
Hyrule in the original The Legend of Zelda was very small compared to the other games. It featured no towns or castles, and simply sent the player into the action straightaway. It is likely that this region is in fact the southern region of the much larger lands shown in The Adventure of Link. Shigeru Miyamoto states that this version of Hyrule is based on the area of his homeland when he was a child, including the caves placed throughout the land.

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 first 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 Veil Falls (as opposed to the Waterfall of Wishing). It also included the Wind Ruins and the Cloud Tops.

The Great Sea
After Hyrule was flooded by the goddesses, it became the Great Sea. This version of Hyrule is featured in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass