Temple of Time
The Temple of Time, also known as the Light Temple or Temple of Light, is a place in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and a dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Its sage is Rauru, the Sage of Light.
History
The Temple of Time is the sanctified gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm. When the Master Sword was infused into the Pedestal of Time, it sealed the portal between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, where the ancient Triforce lies.
It is said that only the Hero of Time may enter the secret chambers of the temple and draw the Master Sword. This would explain why Ganondorf was able to enter the Sacred Realm when Link removed the sword from the Pedestal. The Temple of Time is one of Hyrule's ancient edifices and Rauru aided in its construction long ago. It is possible that its constructon was also aided by the Oocca.
Within the temple stands a sacred altar which bears inscribed instructions to opening the Door of Time, which leads to the Master Sword. The inscription reads that the person needs to have possession of all three Spiritual Stones, stand with the Ocarina of Time and play the Song of Time.
The Temple of Time is the Temple of Power representing the Hylians and the element of Light. The building is the part of the Light Temple that stands in Hyrule; the rest of it resides within the Sacred Realm. The Chamber of the Sages lies within the Sacred Realm part of the temple.
In Ocarina of Time
After collecting the Sacred Stones and the Ocarina of Time, Link had to go to the Temple of Time to acquire the Master Sword. However, he was put to sleep for seven years by Rauru, the temple's sage, because he was not yet old enough to become the Hero of Time. When he was awakened, Rauru explained Hyrule's situation to Link, and gave him the Light Medallion.
There are only three rooms of the Temple of Time accessed by Link in Ocarina of Time. These include the first two rooms in Hyrule, and the Chamber of the Sages in the Sacred Realm (technically part of the Light Temple). However, the temple still receives recognition as the Light Room in Ganon's Castle.
A notable glitch of Ocarina of Time is that upon heading through the passageway towards the Pedestal of Time in the Temple of Time, the walls ahead can be seen to change shape drastically. This is glitch is supposedly caused by a compression technique used in the game.
In Twilight Princess
Located in the Sacred Grove of Faron Province, the Temple of Time is an actual dungeon Link must traverse in order to obtain a shard of the Mirror of Twilight.
The entrance to the temple is the original door, which takes Link back in time when the temple was still intact. The writing of the door (when translated from Hylian) reads "Time Door", implying that it is possibly the Door of Time. Near the back of temple is the area where the Pedestal of Time is located, which will reveal a staircase when the Master Sword is thrust inside. This staircase leads through one of the windows to the hidden entrance of the 6th dungeon of the game.
The Temple of Time has eight floors. The main item to be obtained here is the Dominion Rod, an ancient mystical rod used to animate and control statues. This is obtained after defeating the temple's mini boss, a Darknut. The temple has a more archaic style than in Ocarina of Time, and its redesign reflects the redesign in the Master Sword.
The Song of Time first heard in Ocarina of Time can be heard at the beginning of the temple, no doubt bringing back memories.
It is unknown whether the Temple of Time was moved to a location near the Forest Temple, or if Hyrule Castle was rebuilt north of where it originally stood and Faron Woods grew up around the old Castle Town.
Trivia
- The background music of the Temple of Time is the Song of Time.
- If the inscription on the Pedestal of Time holding the Master Sword is translated from Hylian it reads "Master Sword."
- Likewise, the door that Link steps through to find the Temple of Time in the past bears an inscription that reads "Time Door."
- The 8th floor of the dungeon bears a striking resemblance to the Pantheon in Rome.