Even if you've played Bloodborne multiple times, you may have missed this area

Bloody is a game full of secrets, but few have surprised players as much as Forsaken Cainhurst Castle. More than 11 years after the game's release, Bloody fans still encounter this area for the first time, which underscores just how densely layered FromSoftware's hit RPG really is.

BloodyTradition describes Cainhurst Castle as the seat of ancient nobles who once actively traded with Yharnam. Their traditions brought them into conflict with the Healing Church, which led to them being eventually killed by executioners. Cainhurst Castle, left uninhabited, fell into disrepair and the road connecting it to Yharnam was eventually destroyed. Thus, the castle can no longer be reached on foot during in-game events, although there is still a way to get there.

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Some Bloodborne players are only now realizing that Cainhurst Castle is fully accessible

The process of getting to Cainhurst Castle Bloody it's so convoluted that some players are just now discovering it, even if they're not new to the game itself. Attesting to this trend, Reddit user Onion-Funion recently took to social media to share how surprised they were to learn that a distant castle was a playable area. This realization only hit them when they were on their third New Game+ run.

Dozens of fans who responded to the Onion-Funion post said that it also took them a while to realize that it was possible to reach Cainhurst Castle. The NPC Arthur gives the clearest hint that the area is playable, saying that he's trying to get there to complete the hunt for the Vileblood Queen. Additionally, several items suggest that there is more to Cainhurst Castle than meets the eye. In addition to harboring several powerful items and what is widely considered to be one of the toughest boss fights in the game, this remote location is also where Bloody players may come across the contract of Cainhurst Vilebloods.

How to get to Forsaken Castle Cainhurst 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 front gate of the clinic opens from the back).
From the Cathedral Ward, go to Hemwick Charnel Lane and defeat the Hemwick Witch (this is doable before the Vicar Amelia fight), then get to the large stone obelisk.

Cainhurst Castle can be seen in the distance BloodyThe location of Hemwick Charnel Lane, where the Witch of Hemwick lurks. This place also functions as a warp gate to a distant fortress, although the key is in another part of Yharnam, located deep within the Forbidden Forest.

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Interesting lore and unlock mechanics aside, Cainhurst Castle is also memorable for its architecture, with FromSoftware designing it as a late-Gothic fortress adapted to the extreme topography. Its overall aesthetic also incorporates pragmatic military engineering, combining thick walls and vertical layering with Gothic stylistic elements such as pointed forms and dramatic roof lines.