Honestly, the Silksong Choral Chambers map is probably the first thing you’ll actually need to buy if you want to keep your sanity while climbing Pharloom’s Citadel. If you’ve played the original Hollow Knight, you remember that feeling of stumbling into the City of Tears for the first time—that overwhelming sense of "where on earth do I go?" Well, the Choral Chambers takes that feeling, adds a bunch of verticality, and then fills the rooms with choir bugs that want to poke you with very sharp pins.
It’s a lot.
The Choral Chambers basically functions as the massive, resonant heart of Act 2. You arrive here after the Underworks, and suddenly the game stops being about dark, damp tunnels and starts being about shimmering, musical halls and platforming that’ll make your thumbs ache. But here’s the thing: the map isn't just handed to you. You have to work for it, and if you miss the machine that sells it, you’re going to be wandering in circles for hours.
Where to Actually Find the Silksong Choral Chambers Map
Most people miss the map because they're too busy running away from the Choir Pouncers.
To get your hands on it, you’ll need 70 Rosaries. Don't spend them on silk or tools the second you get to the Grand Bellway. Hold onto them. From the Underworks, you’re going to head up and then cut left. You’ll find yourself in a vertical shaft that feels like it goes on forever. Use those hanging bronze bells to pogo yourself higher. Honestly, the pogo mechanic feels way snappier as Hornet than it did as the Knight, so take advantage of it.
Once you reach the top layer of this vertical section, head right. You’ll see a weird mechanical vendor—essentially a map-o-matic machine. Insert your 70 Rosaries, and the Silksong Choral Chambers map is yours. It’s a literal lifesaver because this area is layered like a lasagna of death. Without it, you won't see the path to the Songclave or realize you’re just one room away from a bench.
The Layout Is... Complicated
Pharloom is way more vertical than Hallownest ever was. The Choral Chambers layout reflects that. You’ve got the main halls, but then there are sub-areas like the Citadel Spa and the path down to Whiteward.
If you’re looking at your map and see a big grey blob you can't reach, it’s probably because you haven't hit the right switch. This area is full of rotating wheel puzzles and steam vents. You’ll hit a lever, a whole section of the room will spin, and suddenly a new path opens up. It’s clever, but it’s also easy to get turned around.
One thing most players get wrong? They think they can explore everything immediately. You can’t. You’re going to want the Clawline or Drifter’s Cloak to really make sense of the upper reaches. If a jump looks impossible, it probably is for now. Just mark it on your map and come back.
Key Locations Every Player Needs to Know
Let’s talk about the stuff you actually care about finding.
- The Benches: There are two main ones you’ll rely on. One is tucked away in the upper right section after you navigate the locked gate. The second is at the Ventrica Station.
- Ventrica Stations: These are your fast travel points. In the Choral Chambers, you’ve got about six of these, but they’re expensive. It costs 80 Rosaries each to activate them. Is it worth it? Yes. Walking back through the steam vents is a nightmare.
- The Songclave: This is a small settlement in the northeast corner of the map. It’s where you’ll find Jubilana, the merchant. If you want to upgrade your tools—and you do—you need to find her.
- The Cogwork Dancers: This is the big dual boss fight of the area. They hang out in the central part of the map. Pro tip: focus on one at a time. Trying to split your damage between both is a recipe for a quick trip back to the last bench.
Why the Soundtrack Matters (No, Really)
The Choral Chambers isn't just called that for the vibes. The area is "acoustically reactive." You’ll notice certain platforms only appear or certain enemies only move when the background music hits a specific tempo or when a bell rings.
There’s even a secret puzzle involving a set of bells. You stand on a platform, they play a sequence, and you have to hit them back in the same order. Do it right, and you get a Cogheart Piece. It’s basically the Silksong version of a Mask Shard.
Dealing With the "Haunted" Residents
The lore here is pretty grim. The "Haunting" is this silk-based madness that’s reanimating dead bugs. In the Choral Chambers, you’ll see bodies littering the floor. Then, as soon as you get close—or after a specific event like meeting Lace—they all spring to life.
The Choristors are the ones to watch. They spawn behind you when you’re going for items like the Silkeater egg. They aren't particularly tough, but they're annoying when you're trying to focus on platforming over spikes.
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How to Survive the Gauntlet
If you head west of the Citadel Spa, you’ll hit an arena battle. It’s a four-wave gauntlet that tests everything you’ve learned about Hornet’s movement.
- Wave 1: Basic Hornheads. Easy.
- Wave 2: Pouncers and Flyers. This is where the verticality of the room starts to matter.
- Wave 3: Clawmaidens. These things are fast. Use your silk to heal quickly during the transitions.
- Wave 4: A mix of everything.
The reward is a massive stash of Rosaries and a feeling of immense relief.
Some Quick Tips for 100% Map Completion
If you're a completionist, you're going to spend a lot of time staring at the Silksong Choral Chambers map.
Check the walls. Seriously. Team Cherry loves their breakable walls. There's a secret path that leads to the Citadel Spa hidden behind a wall near a water pipe. You have to hit a lever to release the water first, which is a bit of a "galaxy brain" puzzle for a Metroidvania, but it works.
Also, look for the Lost Fleas. There’s one in the northeast corner of the Songclave and another near the upper left section of the chambers. These are the "Grubs" of Silksong, and finding them is the only way to get some of the best late-game crests.
The Bottom Line
The Choral Chambers is where Silksong stops being a tutorial and starts being a challenge. It’s beautiful, the music is incredible, and the map is a tangled mess of gears and silk. Get the map early, keep your Rosaries safe, and don't be afraid to run away from a fight if you're low on health. Pharloom is a vertical kingdom, and the fall is a long way down.
Next Steps for Your Journey:
- Gather 70 Rosaries immediately upon entering the area to ensure you can afford the map.
- Locate the Grand Bellway to set up a solid home base before exploring the rotating gear rooms.
- Focus on unlocking the Ventrica Station near the Songclave to make backtracking for upgrades significantly faster.