The Hyrule Castle in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a daunting and massive labyrinth and the setting for Link's final showdown with Calamity Ganon. This once-glorious citadel, now beyond ruin and teeming with various Guardian types, demands the player's full focus to reach the topmost chamber where Princess Zelda waits.

RELATED: Breath Of The Wild: Things You Didn't Know About Guardians

Players are often eager to reach the conclusion of the game's story, so they become tempted to rush straight to the castle's throne. The issue with this is that they can easily miss a plethora of special locations, secrets, and treasures that are found littered throughout the castle. Breath of the Wild encourages exploration, and Hyrule Castle is no exception to this. Any player can yield great results if they take even a small amount of time to scour the area.

Updated December 28, 2021 by Holly Alice: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild has been available for quite some time, but while fans eagerly (and impatiently) await the sequels' release, they have had time to go back into the wide world of Hyrule. Even now, secrets and hidden locations still are uncovered, and we have covered some more of these in our update. Will Hyrule Castle ever truly be explored? Maybe, but for now, players are content to keep finding mysterious corners.

13 Koroks In The Castle

Screenshot of Korok Breath of the Wild

There are 900 Korok seeds hidden in Hyrule, so it is no surprise that there are a few in the castle. However, they are really well hidden. One is on the balcony in a room above the King's Study, one is under a leaf pile found in the armory, and there's even one on top of the spire on one of the towers!

Perhaps the most elusive Korok is hidden in the same corridor of stone rooms as the Royal Guard Sword. Behind a broken wall that can be destroyed with a bomb, there is a seemingly empty room. Look up, and Link will see an almost hidden Korok acorn. There are a few of these in the castle, so players should keep their eyes peeled.

12 Elemental Swords

Elemental Swords in Hyrule Castle BOTW

Within the walls of Hyrule Castle lie many weapons — a godsend, as the durability always seems to run out just when players need it most. Among the offerings are some Elemental swords, which can really help give Link an edge in the numerous fights with beasts.

There is a Great Flameblade located in the Docks, on the opposite shore from the Shrine, up on a high ledge. Then, there is a Great Frostblade jutting out of some rubble near the library and dining rooms. Finally, players can find an (easily missable) Thunderblade nestled at the top of a double staircase, in a room above the King's Study. There's also a Korok pinwheel here.

11 Hidden Royal Guard Sword

Breath Of The Wild Royal Guard Sword

The inside of the Castle is an absolute maze, and trying to direct players to the right areas for finding specific things can be tricky. However, if players follow these directions, they can find a helpful item.

RELATED:Breath Of The Wild 2: What Could The Title Be?

The corridor above the castle's Armory has some breakable walls. One of these rooms contains a Korok, and another has the Royal Guard Sword. The latter is found on a pedestal, which is a nice nod to the Master Sword that the design is based on. Break down the wall with a bomb, and hop in to get the sword.

10 Ore Nodes & Stone Smasher

Breath Of The Wild Stone Smasher in Hyrule Castle

The Library of Hyrule Castle is not all it appears to be upon first glance. After all, to enter it, players must use Magnesis to move a bookshelf. If they continue using the rune, they will find that on the opposite wall is another moveable section.

Behind this is a dug-out corridor, possibly a work-in-progress escape route. In the corridor is a Stone Smasher, and further along it is an ore node, containing some nice gems. There's a chest, too, with some Rupees, but the main attraction is the Smasher for those who prefer beefy, two handed combat.

9 The Docks

Hyrule Castle's Docks from Breath of the Wild

Charging through the front gates of the castle and scaling the exterior is the fastest way to reach the top. But it is also the player's best way to avoid all of the castle's secrets. A great example of this is the docks hidden in a cavern on the lower portion of the castle's northern side.

These docks act as a secret passageway into Hyrule Castle. They are only defended by a handful of Lizalfos, which the player can deal with at their leisure. There are also some weapons and food supplies to grab there. Entering the castle by this route can be seen as an "easy mode" for entering the castle, and it also leads directly to a shrine.

8 Saas Ko’sah Shrine

Saas Ko'sah Shrine from Breath of the Wild

The Saas Ko'sah Shrine rests directly above the docks. Its base sits next to a large torch. If a player lights the torch, the shrine will activate and rise from the platform. The shrine's challenge is "A Major Test of Strength," one of the battle-focused shrines challenges that pit the player against powerful Guardian enemies.

Clearing the shrine earns the player a Spirit Orb, but the greater prize is that they will now have a shrine to travel to that is inside the castle. This makes return trips to the castle much easier. And if the player needs to escape the castle due to danger, regrouping becomes much less of a hassle.

7 The Library

Hyrule Castle's library from Breath of the Wild

Behind the Sass Ko'sah Shrine is a stone stairway. If the player goes up the stairs, they will reach a secret entrance to one of the largest interior portions of the castle, the Library. The Library is home to many enemies, but it is also home to many secrets. It is worth it to the player to defeat all of the enemies so they can freely explore the area.

RELATED: Breath Of The Wild: 10 Things You Didn't Know Summon The Blood Moon

Some of the best things to find in the Library are the secret cooking recipes. The A Royal Recipe side quest centers on Link retrieving these recipes for an NPC, and they can be found in the Library. Aside from those, the player can find other secret passages that lead to gems and Rupees, and they can also uncover the King of Hyrule's secret study.

6 The King’s Study

The King's Study from Breath of the Wild

The King's Study is hidden behind a bookcase that the player can move aside by using the Magnesis rune. Inside, the player can find a few items, including a Royal Shield, but they can also find the king's journal.

If the player reads the king's journal, they can learn a substantial amount of lore about the king. It gives insight into the king's personal thoughts about the coming Calamity, and it also reveals his concern for his daughter Zelda and the grief he felt due to the death of his wife.

5 A Mining Cart

Hyrule Castle's mining cart from Breath of the Wild

The docks are not the only secret back entrance into the castle. Further down from them, the player can find a cave that leads to a more entertaining method of entering the castle: a mining cart.

This mining cart system winds through a narrow path that leads from the exterior of the castle all the way to the Western Passage. And aside from a few bothersome Keese, no enemies populate the area. All the player needs to do is use the Remote Bombs to keep pushing the cart forward. The player can also find a hidden Korok seed at the other end of the railway.

4 The Lockup

Hyrule Castle's lockup from Breath of the Wild.

Past the Western Passage, the player can find the Lockup, which is the castle's prison and one of its most dangerous areas. What was once a secure prison is now a narrow and dilapidated hallway that forces the player to fight their way through a gauntlet of powerful Moblins and Lizalfos.

Enemies are not the only things to find in the Lockup. Useful weapons and gems can be found in certain cells, and there are also hidden passages that the player can take to find alternate entrances to other sections of the castle. Last, at the end of the lockup's hallway, the player can find the entrance to a large arena that is home to a Stalnox.

3 The Stalnox & The Shield

Hryule Castle's Stalnox from Breath of the Wild

The Stalnox found in the Lockup seems almost out of place for the area, but a plaque placed in its arena explains that the monster had been placed there by someone to serve as a test for Hyrule's best soldiers. Once the player enters its chamber, the door will close behind them, and the only way out is to slay the beast.

RELATED: Breath Of The Wild: Things You Didn't Know About The Champions' Ballad

After defeating the Stalnox, the player can find the Hylian Shield in a chest (which can be repurchased from a merchant in Tarrey Town if it is destroyed). This shield is incredibly useful for fending off all of the dangerous enemies in the castle, and it can offer a lot of protection during the final battle with Calamity Ganon.

2 Lynels In The Gateways

One of the gatehouses and Lynels from Breath of the Wild.

The Moblins, Lizalfos, and Guardians are all dangerous enemies that patrol Hyrule Castle, but they are far from the deadliest beasts present. In the upper portions of the castle, on the exterior, the player can find multiple gateways that in the past served as connecting points between the castle walls. But walking into them now leads to tense encounters with Lynels.

Battling a Lynel in a Gatehouse can be daunting due to the confined space, so some players might prefer to avoid them completely. The reward for defeating a Lynel is always great though, so taking the risk is worthwhile for anyone comfortable with challenging them.

1 Zelda’s Room & Study

Princess Zelda's room and study from Breath of the Wild.

From the castle's exterior and near its top, the player can find the entryway into Princess Zelda's room, which also connects to her private study. They have been mostly destroyed by the Calamity, but enough of their contents remain to give a glimpse into the princess's life before the kingdom fell.

The most important discoveries in the rooms are Zelda's diary and her journals. It is in these books that the player can learn much about the princess's motivations, personality, and her evolving opinions about her sworn protector, Link.

MORE: Breath Of The Wild: Korok Memes That Are Too Hilarious For Words