Hyrule Castle Complete Walkthrough

Hyrule Castle in Tears of the Kingdom is both a dungeon and the site of the final boss sequence. Unlike previous Zelda games, the castle is accessible throughout the game and contains powerful weapons, rare materials, and lore collectibles — but the path to Ganondorf in the Depths requires clearing all four main temples first.

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When to Tackle Hyrule Castle

Early exploration (any time): The castle exterior and many interior rooms are accessible from the start. You can collect chests, fight enemies, and explore freely without triggering the final sequence.

Final sequence (after all temples): To access the Throne Room and fight Ganondorf, you must have defeated all four dungeon bosses:

• Colgera (Wind Temple)
• Marbled Gohma (Fire Temple)
• Queen Gibdo (Lightning Temple)
• Mucktorok (Water Temple)

After these, Purah at Lookout Landing points you toward Hyrule Castle as the final destination.

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Preparation — Before You Go

Hearts: Minimum 15 hearts recommended for the final boss sequence. The three-phase fight is long and unforgiving.

Weapons: Stock 10+ weapons with 30+ attack each. The final fight uses weapons heavily. Priority: Lynel weapons, Royal weapons, anything fused with Silver Lynel Guts.

Arrows: 60+ arrows minimum. Dragon parts for the final boss phase (fighting from dragonback requires long-range precision). Bomb Flowers for Phase 1 crowd control.

Healing: 15+ Hearty dishes or maximum heart-extension meals. At least 5 Sunny dishes (Sundelion-based) for Gloom damage in the Depths approach.

Sage's Wills: Ensure all five companions are powered up (find and turn in as many Sage's Wills as possible before the final sequence).

Armor: Defense Up 30+ recommended. Flamebreaker or any high-defense set with attack-up food buffs.

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Castle Exterior

Main Gate Approach

The front entrance is heavily guarded by Lizalfos and a Hinox. The Hinox guards the main gate — defeat it or bypass by climbing the walls.

Skip the gate: Paraglide from any elevated position to the castle battlements. The front gate fight wastes time and resources.

Sky approach: Use a Zonai Fan vehicle or Tulin's Gust to ascend the tall outer towers and enter from the top. This bypasses most ground-level enemies.

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Ground Floor — Exterior Courtyard

Courtyard Combat

Multiple Lizalfos patrols and two Moblin sentries. The courtyard contains:

Chest 1: Against the east courtyard wall, behind barrels (stacked on a platform) — Royal Claymore. Chest 2: Atop the gatehouse (requires climbing or paragliding) — Diamond.

Caretaker's Lodge

Follow the path west from the main gate to find a small lodge with: Chest 3: Inside the lodge on a shelf — Soldier's Broadsword (strong early weapon).

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Second Floor — Great Hall

The Great Hall is the throne room's lower level — massive, ornate, filled with Gloom seeping from the floors.

Gloom Warning

Gloom floor damage: Walk on Gloom-covered sections and take continuous health reduction. Gloom-damaged hearts (outlined, not solid) only restore at Lightroots or by eating Sunny food. Stock Sundelion dishes before entering deep castle areas.

Navigation tip: Use Ascend to move through floors and bypass Gloom pools. The ceiling transitions between levels are consistent.

Great Hall Enemies

Multiple Phantom Ganon soldiers patrol here. These are tougher than standard enemies — use Riju's Lightning Strike to stun groups.

Chest 4: East alcove off the Great Hall, above a Gloom pool (Ascend through the floor above to reach the ledge) — Knight's Broadsword.

Chest 5: Behind the throne (which is partially destroyed) — Captain's Bow.

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Third Floor — Library and Study

The castle library contains research notes from before the fall of Hyrule.

Lore Item — Zelda Diary

An optional lore entry describing Zelda's thoughts before her time travel. Picking it up adds journal content to the Adventure Log.

Chest 6: In the library's west reading room, on top of a bookcase (Ascend or climb) — Ancient Blade.

Study Room Puzzle

A locked door requires finding a key in the study. The key is in a chest in the adjacent storage room: Chest 7 (key): Storage room east of study — castle key. Chest 8 (locked room): After unlocking — Royal Guard's Claymore (highest base attack bow in the castle).

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Fourth Floor — Armory and Barracks

Armory

This room contains weapon racks with Royal Guard weapons — among the highest base-attack weapons in the game before fusing.

Chest 9: In the Armory main room — Royal Guard's Bow. Chest 10: Hidden compartment behind a cracked wall (bomb) — Royal Guard's Shield.

Note: Royal Guard weapons have terrible durability (breaking after 15-20 hits) but extremely high attack. Use them only when you have strong Fuse materials ready to attach.

Barracks

Enemy barracks with sleeping Bokoblin and Lizalfos. Stealth allows bypassing or eliminating them silently.

Chest 11: Barracks storage room — Arrow Bundle ×20.

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Tower Level — Lookout Towers

The castle towers provide excellent vantage for paragliding to different sections.

Chest 12: Top of the northeast tower — Ruby.

Wind Rises

From the northeast tower, Tulin's gust carries you across the castle rooftop gap to the east wing. The east wing contains additional lore and two more chests:

Chest 13: East wing throne antechamber — Sapphire. Chest 14: East wing locked room (key from east wing supply closet) — Ancient Blade.

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The Depths Entrance — Path to Ganondorf

After completing all four temples, Purah directs you to the castle. The path to Ganondorf descends into the Depths beneath the castle:

Finding the Descent

1. Enter the castle from the main gate or courtyard
2. Find the large central spiral staircase (marked with Gloom)
3. Descend three floors below the visible castle level
4. Enter the Gloom-covered passage — this leads to the Depths arena

Depths Approach

The final approach through the Depths has:

• Continuous Gloom floor (keep Sundelion dishes active)
• Three Gloom Hand encounters (optional to fight — sprint past them)
• Final Phantom Ganon encounter before the throne

Phantom Ganon Fight (pre-boss): This Phantom Ganon is stronger than the dungeon versions. Fight it with your best weapons — the sages assist. Defeating it opens the gate to the Ganondorf arena.

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Final Boss — Ganondorf

See our dedicated Ganondorf guide for complete details. Summary:

Phase 1 — Demon King Humanoid

Ganondorf with a sword. Parry his thrust attacks for a Flurry Rush opening. Sage abilities available throughout.

Tips:

• Riju's Lightning Strike on Phase 1 Ganondorf deals massive damage
• Yunobo's Charge can stagger him mid-combo
• Sidon's Water Shield absorbs his hardest single hit

Phase 2 — Phantom Ganon Army

Multiple Phantom Ganon copies appear. Each sage eliminates specific copies. Activate all 5 sages rapidly.

Phase 3 — Demon Dragon vs. Light Dragon

Zelda arrives as the Light Dragon. Ride her against the Demon Dragon (Ganondorf's final form).

• Land on the Demon Dragon using paraglider control
• Destroy Gloom tumor clusters (weak points on his spine and wings)
• Avoid breath attacks and tail slams by maneuvering the Light Dragon
• Final hit: the Secret Stone in his skull

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Post-Castle

After defeating Ganondorf and the credits roll, you continue in the post-game:

• All side quests remain available
• Hyrule Castle is revisitable but empty
• New dialogue from NPCs acknowledging the defeat
• Zelda returns (story resolution)

New Game+ equivalent: There isn't a traditional NG+ but the 100% completion challenge (all shrines, quests, Korok seeds) provides post-game content.

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Full Chest Summary

| # | Location | Contents | |---|---------|---------| | 1 | East courtyard | Royal Claymore | | 2 | Gatehouse top | Diamond | | 3 | Caretaker's Lodge | Soldier's Broadsword | | 4 | Great Hall east alcove | Knight's Broadsword | | 5 | Great Hall behind throne | Captain's Bow | | 6 | Library west reading room | Ancient Blade | | 7 | Study storage | Castle Key | | 8 | Study locked room | Royal Guard's Claymore | | 9 | Armory main | Royal Guard's Bow | | 10 | Armory hidden room | Royal Guard's Shield | | 11 | Barracks storage | Arrow Bundle ×20 | | 12 | Northeast tower | Ruby | | 13 | East wing antechamber | Sapphire | | 14 | East wing locked room | Ancient Blade |