Hyrule
Hyrule is the kingdom. The name sits next to the Hylians who live there. Public histories credit three goddesses—Din, Nayru, and Farore—with raising the land and leaving the Triforce. I am not going to turn that myth into a square-mileage figure. Nobody published one that the games share.
Last checked:
The same landmarks, different maps
Castle, field, Kakariko, Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, the Lost Woods, Zora’s Domain, and the Gerudo desert recur often enough to be the country’s skeleton. The 1986 game draws them as a top-down overworld of single screens. A Link to the Past splits light and dark. Ocarina of Time opens a 3D field you ride across. The Wind Waker floods the kingdom and leaves the Great Sea; the old Hyrule is under the water, which is not the same place as the sea you sail. Twilight Princess covers that field with twilight. Skyward Sword puts Skyloft in the clouds and the surface below. A Link Between Worlds reuses the older map and adds Lorule. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom make one continuous land, then add sky and depths.
The royal family rules. Princess Zelda is the heir tied to Hylia. Link is not the king. Towns that are not this kingdom—islands, a train, a dream—still get named on their game pages rather than forced into one capital.
What this page will not rank
I will not call any version the biggest open world. Map area is blank because the sources do not share a unit. The table under the essay is the other recurring places, each linked back here unless it has earned no page of its own. Kakariko and Death Mountain stay rows. They are famous, and they are not separate search targets I am ready to spin into thin biographies.
| Place | Debut | Landmarks | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyrule | The Legend of Zelda (1986) | Hyrule Castle, Hyrule Field, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, Lost Woods, Zora's Domain, Gerudo Desert | The kingdom Link and Zelda defend |
| Kakariko Village | A Link to the Past (1991) | Sheikah village, graveyard, windmill | Zelda's refuge and Sheikah lore hub |
| Lost Woods | The Legend of Zelda (1986) | Maze, Master Sword pedestal, Korok Forest | Master Sword pedestal and Korok Forest |
| Death Mountain | The Legend of Zelda (1986) | Goron City, Fire Temple, volcanic crater | Fire Temple and Goron homeland |
| Lake Hylia | The Legend of Zelda (1986) | Water temple, fishing hole, Hylia's spring | Water-themed dungeon and Hylia spring |
| Gerudo Desert | Ocarina of Time (1998) | Gerudo Fortress, Desert Colossus, Sand Goddess | Gerudo homeland and Ganondorf's origin |
| Zora's Domain | Ocarina of Time (1998) | Zora's Fountain, Lord Jabu-Jabu, waterfall | Zora homeland and Water Temple access |
FAQ
Is the Great Sea Hyrule?
It is Hyrule after the flood, and the kingdom itself is described as sealed below. The sea and the underwater kingdom are not interchangeable labels.
Which Hyrule should a new player see?
The beginners page suggests Breath of the Wild’s map if you want the wide one, and A Link to the Past if you want the compact one.
Related
Sources
| Claim | Status | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|
| Character, lore or historical details | 1 accessible source: Wikipedia | Read the named encyclopedia entries. Zelda Wiki returned HTTP 403 and is listed as additional reading, not counted as a verified second source. |
- Nintendo, current official timeline — checked 2026-11-10
- Wikipedia, Universe of The Legend of Zelda — checked 2026-11-10
- Zelda Wiki (additional reading; HTTP 403 at audit), Hyrule — checked 2026-11-10
Page updated 2026-11-10. Site check date 2026-11-10.