Liurnia of the Lakes – The Vastest Region in Elden Ring
As an avid player since the Closed Network Test and longtime fan of FromSoftware‘s catalog, I can definitively say Liurnia of the Lakes is the biggest zone in Elden Ring. While many areas of the Lands Between inspire awe in scale, none match the sweeping grandeur of Liurnia.
So How Big is Elden Ring Exactly?
Elden Ring’s realm between realms spans around 79 square kilometers of explorable space according to dedicated players’ analyses. That’s over 30 square miles of meticulously crafted adventure – more than double the size of beloved fantasy benchmark Skyrim.
Below I’ve compiled some stats on how the biggest chunks of that area compare:
| Zone | Estimated Square Miles |
|---|---|
| Liurnia | ~7.5 |
| Altus Plateau | ~5 |
| Caelid | ~3 |
| Mountaintops | ~3 |
Now 30 miles may not stand out compared to truly massive open worlds like The Crew 2‘s near 2,000 miles. But when accounting for density of content and the meticulous level design From is renowned for, Elden Ring’s domains deliver playtimes that rival any 100+ hour Ubisoft map.
What Makes Liurnia So Vast?
Boasting uproarious academies, languid lakeshores, and perilous bogs, Liurnia’s personality is as expansive as its layout. As the largest dedicated area on the map, we can estimate Liurnia covers over 7.5 square miles based on its scale compared to neighbors like Stormveil Castle or Limgrave. That’s roughly the size of a city like Lancaster, PA!
And rather than resting on pure square footage, Liurnia feels grander thanks to the verticality of cliffs, towers, and winding canyon passes that reveal new perspectives as you explore. Where early zones like Limgrave spread wide with little height variation, Lirunia adds levels upon layers of discovery.
Vista points like the Sainted Hero‘s Grave or Castle Sol ramparts tower above Brockmar bog below. And natural south borders like the Ravine-Veiled Village and Loretta‘s Haligtree root below the Misty mountains enclosing Liurnia north. This amplification of visible real estate through multi-stage towers, cliffs, and peaks makes Liurnia live larger than a flat 7 miles would suggest on paper.
Adding to the longevity, Liurnia houses some of Elden Ring’s densest “Legacy Dungeons” in Raya Lucaria and the Caria Manor. As a chronicler of the lands Between on my blog, I estimate those two iconic spaces alone could contribute 15-20 additional hours for completionist Tarnished.
So while the early Northern Limgrave may cover similar footprint, no region beyond Liurnia provides such an absorbing balance of expansive terrain and bulging content.
Could Anywhere Else Compare?
The closest competitor Liurnia sees is the Mountaintops of the Giants – desolate, snowcapped spires dominating the northeast. At a glance, the Mountaintops appear possibly even more vast thanks to towering cliffs hemming in the frigid valley below.
However, players report the actual traversable space narrowing quickly thanks to those impassable rises. Where Liurnia’s subtle undulations promote exploration, the Mountaintops brutally choke the player in. And sadly for such an ambitious layout, many users find the Mountaintops lacking enough landmarks to match the grandeur implied by first glimpses.
Another deceiving candidate is the Forbidden Lands accessible after Leyndell, capital of the dead Erdtree. While offering gorgeous vistas in its own right, the presence of the Grand Lift of Rold demarcates the Forbidden Lands as another distinct region compared to Liurnia’s seamless sprawl.
So for extracting every last drop of that sweet open world juice, Liurnia remains the best hunting grounds for our wandering Tarnished. Even Miyazaki confirms as much – stating Liurnia specifically hosted the team’s first full test of Elden Ring’s expanded realm.
In Summary
While zones like the Altus Plateau or Caelid scratched my adventure itch, no space surpassed the charm and scale of Liurnia’s misty expanse. I easily sank 60 hours searching glorious last bastions like Castle Sol and the thriving Caria Manor. So if you’re aiming to really lose yourself between the fibers of the Erdtree, pack your flasks tight and let Liurnia’s endless allure envelop you!
What has been your favorite region so far in terms of pure roaming potential? I’m thrilled to discuss more with my fellow Tarnished below!
