The top 10 dungeon entrances in The Legend of Zelda

Some dungeons in The Legend of Zelda make an impression even before you step foot in them. Rather than remain inconspicuous to the outside world, they call attention to themselves with grandiose architecture and picturesque scenery befitting their significance. Of the many memorable facades and front doors that Link has passed through over the years, these are the ten dungeons who sport the best entrances in the series.

10. Level 1

Also known as “The Eagle” for its bird shaped layout of rooms, Level 1 was likely the very first dungeon that many Legend of Zelda fans ventured into. While most caves in the original Legend of Zelda’s Hyrule are nothing more than simple holes in a rock wall, Level 1 let you know right away that you were entering someplace far more dangerous than a shop or a grotto. The lonely island, dotted by four gnarled trees, and a tree trunk with eyes and a gaping mouth is one spot that is etched into the memories of anyone who has grown up playing The Legend of Zelda games.

9. Great Deku Tree

Ocarina of Time opens with one of the most unique dungeons in the franchise. Instead of a dank underground labyrinth or an imposing stone fortress, Link ventures into the depths of a giant tree — which also just happens to be the wise and loving guardian of the Kokiri, no less. Like any part of Kokiri Forest, the meadow where the Great Deku Tree rests is about as idyllic as it gets, with spritely particles fluttering through the air and his boughs reaching high overhead. Yet beneath the Great Deku Tree’s friendly face is a whole network of puzzles, traps, and enemies like in any temple or dungeon that players have braved over the years.

8. Angler’s Tunnel

If there is a waterfall in a Legend of Zelda game, you can be sure that there is something of importance hiding behind it. Link’s Awakening contributed to that ongoing theme with Angler’s Tunnel, a dungeon that runs throughout the base of the Tal Tal Mountains. Once Link has acquired the Angler’s Key from the Yarna Desert, he is able to halt the raging river’s flow and reveal the entrance to Angler’s Tunnel — a bizarre looking, yet elaborate fish head carved into the mountainside. The unveiling is that much more impressive in the Link’s Awakening remake for Nintendo Switch, where water continues to trickle down along the rocky façade after the river is quelled.

7. Arbiter’s Grounds

At the far end of the barren and desolate Gerudo Desert rises one of the grandest landmarks in Twilight Princess’ Hyrule. From the outside, the Arbiter’s Grounds is a magnificent structure, so enormous that it can be seen from as far away as Lake Hylia. The outer walls of the Mirror Chamber evoke those of the Roman Coliseum, while its tall spires are topped by symbols combining the Goddess’ crest and the Sages Medallions from Ocarina of Time. But few places in Hyrule prove that looks can be deceiving more than the Arbiter’s Grounds. For all of that majesty, its true purpose was to be a hellish prison, housing Hyrule’s worst criminals before they were condemned to horrific fates.

6. Hyrule Castle (Twilight Princess)

Even with the dreary skies and oncoming rainstorm, no amount of bad weather can dull the awe inspiring Hyrule Castle in Twilight Princess. Whether home to Princess Zelda and her attendants, or to Ganondorf and his monstrous underlings, it is truly a citadel befitting those of royal stature. The central tower stretches high above like a skyscraper, while the surrounding spires connect to it through arching bridges. It all comes together to look like a giant, stone chandelier. Hyrule Castle is just as impressive at ground level, where the lavish courtyards are adorned by statues, cobblestone pathways, trees, and expertly trimmed hedges.

5. Stone Tower Temple

Simply getting to the Stone Tower Temple is a feat in itself, requiring a long climb up a series of steep cliffs where Link must manipulate massive blocks and evade boulders that rain down around him. The entrance to the temple is nestled at the very top of the tower, and true to the spirit of Majora’s Mask, the architecture is anything but ordinary. A huge, rounded structure is shaped distinctly like a person’s face who is screaming in horror, with fires burning in the eye-shaped windows, and the actual doorway that Link enters through being the gaping mouth. Off to the side is a giant, stone hand with a finger pointing skyward, as flames burn atop the fingertip.

4. Tower of the Gods

This list is referring to the architecture which you pass through to enter a dungeon, but The Wind Waker’s Tower of the Gods also deserves a nod for having the best reveal of any dungeon in The Legend of Zelda. After Link has placed all three Goddess Pearls on their respective islets, the Tower of the Gods bursts forth from the depths of the Great Sea, rising to the heavens as seawater drains over its white stonework. Once it has risen, it is without question the most magnificent sight across the Great Sea. The tower itself holds a dungeon meant to test the Hero of Winds, while the ringed courtyard at its base marks an entry down to the submerged kingdom of Hyrule many leagues below the waves.

3. Catfish’s Maw

At a quick glance, it’s easy to mistake Catfish’s Maw for a huge creature rising out of Martha’s Bay. Catfish aren’t normally the most fearsome looking creatures, but this dungeon entrance in Link’s Awakening makes one seem like a terrible leviathan that could swallow Link in a single gulp. Ringed by rock formations, the entrance to Catfish’s Maw is the head of a piscine monstrosity carved out of solid stone. With its mouth falling wide open, fangs bared, and whiskers writhing, Catfish’s Maw is oozing with personality. It also made an impressive transition to 3D in the Nintendo Switch remake with the fuller textures and shimmering water effects of Martha’s Bay.

2. Spirit Temple

In a far corner of the Haunted Wasteland sits the Spirit Temple and the giant figure that marks its entrance — the Desert Colossus. Also known as the Goddess of the Sand, the Desert Colossus is an enormous statue carved into a dusty outcrop, greeting those who managed to survive the Haunted Wasteland’s many perils. Although Ganondorf and his followers once used the Spirit Temple as a hideout for nefarious purposes, no one can deny the magnificence of the effigy sculpted by Gerudo masons. The Spirit Temple’s greatest treasures lie in the hands of the Desert Colossus rather than within the dungeon’s depths. Upon one palm rests the Silver Gauntlets, and upon the other rests the Mirror Shield, both of which would prove pivotal in the final leg of Link’s quest to defeat Ganondorf.

1. Ancient Cistern

Floria Waterfall is already a gorgeous little corner of Skyward Sword’s Hyrule when Link first visits it — once Faron halts the water’s flow to reveal the Ancient Cistern, it becomes absolutely sublime. With sunlight spilling in from above, trees jutting out of the bluffs, huge lily pads sitting atop crystal clear water, and Blessed Butterflies congregating nearby, the entrance to Ancient Cistern is the picture of tranquility. Man-made features like the fish monument that serves as the doorway to the temple, and golden pillars rising out of the water only add to the location’s elegance. Such beauty serves as the perfect prelude to a dungeon that is equally as stunning on the inside. Even though the Ancient Cistern is filled with just as many hazards as any other dungeon, it is easy to feel at total peace as you stand before its breathtaking entrance.