You know that feeling when you first step out of the Shrine of Resurrection? The light hits your eyes, the music swells, and there it is. The silhouette. If you’ve played a Zelda game before, you didn't need a map to tell you what that building was. The Breath of the Wild Temple of Time stands as a jagged, roofless skeleton of its former self, yet it’s arguably the most important location on the Great Plateau. It's not just a tutorial waypoint. It's a gut punch for long-time fans.
Honestly, the way Nintendo handled this ruin is brilliant. It isn't just a nod to Ocarina of Time. It's a physical representation of everything Hyrule lost during the Great Calamity. When you walk through those arched doorways, you aren't just looking for a Spirit Orb reward or a paraglider; you're walking through ten thousand years of decayed history.
The Architecture of a Fallen Kingdom
The Breath of the Wild Temple of Time is located at the heart of the Great Plateau, and if you look closely at the layout, the proportions are hauntingly familiar. It sits at the end of a long, paved path, flanked by smaller ruins that likely housed pilgrims or priests. Unlike the pristine, glowing versions we saw in Skyward Sword or Ocarina, this version is reclaimed by nature. Moss crawls up the pillars. The roof has surrendered to the sky.
Interestingly, the design language here bridges several eras. You’ve got the Gothic arches that scream classic Hylian architecture, but there's a specific wear and tear that feels intentional. It’s located at coordinates -0812, 0057, 1957 for those who care about the technicalities of the map, but you really just follow the smoke. Or the Old Man. Mostly the Old Man.
While it’s easy to get distracted by the decayed Guardian sitting right outside the entrance—a brutal reminder of the mechanical nightmare that ended the world—the interior is where the atmosphere really shifts. The Goddess Statue sits at the far end, still pristine. It’s weird, right? Everything else is crumbling, but the statue of Hylia remains untouched by the malice and the rain. It’s almost like the divine power of the spring is keeping that one corner of the world from falling apart completely.
The Mystery of the Master Sword’s Absence
One of the biggest questions players had when they first reached the Breath of the Wild Temple of Time was: Where is the Master Sword? In Ocarina of Time, this building was the literal seal for the Blade of Evil's Bane. If you were expecting to pull a sword out of a pedestal here, you were in for a shock.
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Instead, the pedestal is gone. The spiritual center of Hyrule has shifted. By the time Link wakes up, the Master Sword has been moved to the Lost Woods, resting under the watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree. This was a massive lore shift. It signaled that the Temple of Time was no longer the fortress of protection it once was. It’s now just a monument. A grave.
Why This Version Hits Different
There’s a specific kind of melancholy here that you don't find in the Dueling Peaks or even the ruins of Hyrule Castle. Those places feel like they were destroyed in a war. The Temple of Time feels like it was forgotten.
When you climb the exterior walls—and you should, because there’s a chest with a Traveler’s Bow up there—you get a panoramic view of the Plateau. From the top, you can see the ruins of the Abbey and the gatehouses. It becomes clear that the Great Plateau was once the cultural center of the kingdom. The Temple wasn't isolated; it was the crown jewel of a bustling city. Now, it's a playground for Bokoblins.
Basically, Nintendo used this space to teach you the "Chemistry Engine" of the game without you even realizing it. The way the wind whistles through the broken windows, the way the shadows shift across the stone floor—it’s all designed to make you feel the passage of time. Literally.
Hidden Details Most Players Miss
- The Roof Access: Most people just run to the Goddess Statue, but if you climb to the very peak of the steeple, there’s a Korok waiting for you.
- The Music: If you listen very closely to the ambient tracks while standing in the nave, you can hear faint, slowed-down echoes of the original "Song of Time." It’s incredibly subtle. You’ve basically got to turn down the SFX and just stand there.
- The Old Man’s Perch: King Rhoam spends his time looking out from the balcony. If you talk to him there after completing the first four shrines, the dialogue changes slightly based on where you are standing.
Gameplay Mechanics and the Goddess Statue
The Breath of the Wild Temple of Time serves as your primary introduction to the leveling system. This is where the game stops being a survival sim and starts being a Zelda game. You trade four Spirit Orbs for either a Heart Container or a Stamina Vessel.
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It’s a choice that defines your early game. Do you take the heart so you don't get one-shot by a Blue Bokoblin? Or do you take the stamina so you can actually climb the mountains surrounding the Plateau? Most speedrunners skip the heart entirely. They want the movement. But for a first-time player, that statue represents the first moment of genuine progress.
The interaction with the Goddess Statue also highlights a shift in Hylian religion. In older games, the focus was often on the Three Goddesses (Din, Nayru, and Farore). In Breath of the Wild, the focus shifted heavily toward Hylia herself. This temple is the first place where that shift is made clear to the player.
The Legacy of the Great Plateau
The Great Plateau is often called the "Tutorial Area," but that feels a bit reductive. It’s a microcosm of the entire game. And the Temple of Time is the anchor. Without it, the Plateau is just a collection of shrines and woods. With it, the area has a soul.
It’s worth noting that the Temple of Time appears again in Tears of the Kingdom, but in a vastly different context. If you haven't played the sequel, I won't spoil the specifics, but let's just say the "Great Plateau" version of the temple remains the definitive "ruin" version in the minds of most fans. It represents the "Wild" in Breath of the Wild.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Visit
If you’re hopping back into your save file or starting a Master Mode run, don't just rush through this area. There is a specific way to experience the Temple of Time that makes it feel fresh.
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First, try visiting at night during a thunderstorm. The lightning flashes through the broken roof, illuminating the Goddess Statue in a way that feels genuinely cinematic. It’s the best spot in the game for the Pro-HUD photo mode.
Second, check the back of the building. There’s a small pond and some debris where you can find some decent early-game loot that most people overlook because they are too focused on the main quest marker.
Finally, take the time to climb to the very top of the roof before you get the paraglider. It’s a bit of a challenge with base stamina, but the view of the sunset over the ruins of the Eastern Abbey is one of the most iconic sights in gaming history.
Once you’ve traded your orbs and spoken to the Ghost of King Rhoam, the world truly opens up. The Temple stays behind, a silent witness to your journey, reminding you of what you’re fighting to restore. It’s the beginning of the end, or maybe just the start of everything. Either way, it’s a masterclass in environmental storytelling that hasn't been topped since 2017.
To get the most out of this location, make sure you have gathered at least four Spirit Orbs from the Oman Au, Ja Baij, Keh Namut, and Owa Daim shrines. Head to the statue, pray, and choose the Stamina Vessel first—it makes exploring the rest of Hyrule significantly less frustrating than having an extra heart ever will. After that, look for the ladder on the side of the building to reach the King and claim your paraglider. The real game starts the moment you leap off that roof.