Hyrule
Background Information
Hyrule is the fictional kingdom setting of many Zelda games.
Hyrule: Kingdom or World?
The definition of Hyrule has generally been disputed throughout the history of the Zelda series. Hyrule is not only used as the name of the land where Link, Princess Zelda, Ganondorf and most of the other characters of the series come from, but also the name of the universe in which the Zelda series take place, or so people believed. However, in Link's Awakening it was said that Link had gone out on adventure to other lands and was shipwrecked on his return home. Similarly, he traveled to two different lands, not worlds, in the Oracle games.
The Various Races of Hyrule
What is for certain however is that the Kingdom of Hyrule is a cornerstone in the History of Hyrule, and that most of the adventures in the various games take place in this kingdom. The dominant race of Hyrule has since the creation of the world been the Hylians, who were said to be blessed by the gods with some of their magical powers. They dominate Hyrule during the time of A Link to the Past. However, they are not the only race to be found in the kingdom. Others include the Gerudos, who reside in Gerudo Valley in the south-western corner of the kingdom, the Gorons from Death Mountain in the north east, Zoras and Kokiri from Zora's Domain and Kokiri Forest in the east respectively.
Geography
Differences throughout Hyrulian History
Hyrule's geography seems to be in constant change. The map seen on the left is from one of the first Zelda games in the timeline, Ocarina of Time. The kingdom revolves around Hyrule Castle which is located a little north of the center of the kingdom, a trademark which seems to characterize the geography in near every map of the land which has ever been made. Just south of the castle we'll find the most prominent town of the kingdom, Hyrule Castle Town, or just Hyrule Town which is it referred to in some games.
The map on the right side is a map of Hyrule from A Link to the Past, and as you can see, some of the important trademarks of the kingdom are the same, but there are also big differences. Hyrule Castle is still located in the center, and Death Mountain in the north. However, a village such as Kakariko Village is in the west, as opposed to east on the Ocarina of Time map. The Desert has switched from north west to south west, Lake Hylia from south west to south east, and the Lost Woods is now up in the north western corner, as opposed to the placement in the east.
The differences in the geography could be explained by stating that the games take place in different parts of a vast kingdom. But this doesn't rule out the possibility of re-occurring places. Some believe that the castle under the sea in The Wind Waker is the very same North Castle from The Adventure of Link.
Important Landmarks
Trivia
The name "Hyrule" could be taken from "high" and "rule" based on the many generations of royalty. It could be noted that "Hyrule" rhymes with the phrase "I rule", which could also put emphasis on royalty.
External Links
See also: Hyrule on 