Bloodborne is a game filled with secrets, but few have surprised players as much as the Forsaken Cainhurst Castle. More than 11 years after the game’s release, Bloodborne fans are still stumbling onto the area for the first time, underlining how densely layered FromSoftware’s hit RPG truly is.
Bloodborne‘s lore describes Cainhurst Castle as the seat of old nobles who once actively traded with Yharnam. Their traditions brought them into conflict with the Healing Church, which led to them eventually being killed by the Executioners. Left with no occupants, Cainhurst Castle fell into disrepair, and the road connecting it to Yharnam was eventually destroyed. The castle can thus no longer be reached on foot by the events of the game, though a way of accessing it still exists.
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Some Bloodborne Players Are Only Now Realizing Cainhurst Castle Is Fully Accessible
The process of getting to Cainhurst Castle in Bloodborne is convoluted enough that some players are only now discovering it, even if they aren’t newcomers to the game itself. Testifying to this trend, Reddit user Onion-Funion has recently taken to social media to share how surprised they were to learn that the distant castle is a playable area. This realization only hit them while they were on their third New Game+ run.
Dozens of fans responding to Onion-Funion’s post said they also took a while to realize Cainhurst Castle can be reached. The NPC Arthur provides the clearest hint that the area is playable, saying he is trying to get there to complete his hunt for the Vileblood Queen. Beyond that, several items suggest there is more to Cainhurst Castle than meets the eye. Apart from hiding several powerful items and what is widely regarded as one of the most difficult boss fights in the game, this secluded location is also the place where Bloodborne players can encounter the Cainhurst Vilebloods covenant.
How To Reach Forsaken Cainhurst Castle in Bloodborne
- Defeat Vicar Amelia in the Cathedral Ward, then change the world state to Night by interacting with the altar skull.
- Collect the Cainhurst Summons from Iosefka’s Clinic in the Forbidden Woods (the clinic’s front gate opens from the back).
- From the Cathedral Ward, go to the Hemwick Charnel Lane and defeat the Witch of Hemwick (this is doable even before the Vicar Amelia fight), then get to the large stone obelisk.
Cainhurst Castle can be seen in the distance from Bloodborne‘s Hemwick Charnel Lane location, where the Witch of Hemwick lies in wait. That place also acts as the warp gate to the distant keep, though the key is in a different part of Yharnam, found deep inside the Forbidden Woods.
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Interesting lore and unlock mechanics aside, Cainhurst Castle is also memorable due to its architecture, with FromSoftware designing it as a late-Gothic fortress adapted to extreme topography. Its overall aesthetic also incorporates pragmatic military engineering, combining thick walls and vertical layering with Gothic stylistic cues such as pointed forms and dramatic rooflines.
- Released
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March 24, 2015
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
