The Elder Scrolls Online has been steadily growing in popularity as MMO for a variety of reasons. The game's fully-voiced, detailed interactions with countless NPCs throughout the enormous world of Tamriel are certainly part of it – the other thing drawing players in is the beauty of the game's many unique locales.
Fans of The Elder Scrolls series wanting to immerse themselves in a more beautiful Tamriel have two options: install a number of mods for Skyrim, or play the relatively modern Elder Scrolls Online. While ESO is an MMO at heart, it nonetheless captivates players with its vast world and contemporary aesthetics – plus, it has a massive amount of DLC for neverending exploration.
Updated January 27, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: Some of the most beautiful places in Elder Scrolls Online have been added to the game only recently. The Greymoor Chapter and Blackwood Chapter both brought players back to familiar locations and showed what they look like with a modern facelift. Visiting some of the most beautiful locations in Elder Scrolls Online doesn't necessarily require players to have any DLC, but the more recent expansions generally have better visuals thanks to progressive graphical improvements. Elder Scrolls Online is going into its eighth year, and with the High Isle expansion on the way for 2022, it's the perfect time to sit back, relax, and take a tour of Tamriel to visit some of these iconic locations.
11 The Citadel Of Deadlight
- Located in the Deadlands
- Requires the Deadlands DLC
Long ago, Deadlight was an Oblivion plane belonging to a long-since-forgotten Daedric Prince. As described in the book "The Legend of Deadlight" found in Fargrave, this ancient Daedric Prince irked Mehrunes Dagon somehow.
Dagon waged war, destroyed the Daedric Prince, and left his realm shattered and utterly destroyed. The ghostly, jagged Citadel of Deadlight is the only thing that's left, a strangely beautiful place in Elder Scrolls Online whose very appearance hints at an apocalyptic past. In ESO, Deadlight is the HQ for the Waking Flame cult in the Deadlands DLC.
10 The Stone Arch Of Solitude...
- Located in Western Skyrim
- Requires the Greymoor Chapter
There are few things more architecturally iconic to the Elder Scrolls series than the stone archway that the city of Solitude calls its foundation. Solitude rises above the Sea of Ghosts on this gigantic natural formation that can be seen from a surprisingly far distance – when it comes to ESO scenery, the view north from the Solitude docks is hard to beat.
The archway isn't just good-looking; it makes defending Solitude relatively easy as the only way to get into the city is to go up a cliff and through the main entrance. To see Solitude's archway in Elder Scrolls Online players must have the Greymoor Chapter credited to their account.
9 ...And Blackreach
- Located in The Rift, Eastmarch, and Western Skyrim
- Requires the Greymoor Chapter
Blackreach in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a pretty amazing place to visit – at least, at first. Its sprawling, nearly-endless caverns make navigation an absolute nightmare, and most fans think it's a good thing that players only go here once. Blackreach in Elder Scrolls Online, though, is much less of a chore to get through.
This mystical, dank cave system is one of the most beautiful places in ESO because it lets players take in its unique beauty rather than worry about where the next Falmer will attack from. It's featured prominently throughout the Greymoor Chapter and can be accessed from three zones: The Reach, which contains Akthzand Cavern, Western Skyrim, which contains Greymoor Cavern, and Eastmarch, which contains Mzark Cavern.
8 The Crypt of Hearts
- Located in Rivenspire
- No DLC requirements
The Crypt of Hearts is a dungeon in Rivenspire, and available to members of the Daggerfall Covenant. The area is riddled with a purple glow and soaring towers that impose over the rocky landscape.
More so than almost any other spot in the game, the entrance to the Crypt of Hearts emits an eerily intimidating presence on players about to enter its depths.
7 Tu'Whacca's Throne
- Located in the Alik'r Desert
- No DLC requirements
Tu'Whacca's Throne is a set of ancient ruins located in the middle of the Alik'r Desert. Players venturing through Myrkwasa will practically stumble across this monument, which is located a little bit southeast of the zone's only major city Sentinel.
These ruins are the gem of the Alik'r Desert, and though much of the area is destroyed, the Throne itself is still standing. In-game, the area is the subject of a variety of quests related to The Withered Hand.
6 The City Of Orsinium
- Located in Wrothgar
- Requires the Orsinium DLC
Orsinium is the oft-referred to but rarely-seen home city of the Orsimer. In-game, the city is under the process of being rebuilt following the dissolution of the Second Empire. It can only be visited in the Orsinium DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online, though, and is located in the unlocked Wrothgar zone.
The city is embedded into the side of a mountain high above Wrothgar, and it's as fun to explore as it is to sit and marvel at the city's intimidating stone towers and orcish architecture.
5 The City Of Alinor
- Located on the Summerset Isles
- Requires the Summerset Chapter
Alinor is the capital city of the Aldmeri Dominion located in Summerset. It's a city that takes a large deal of inspiration from Gothic cathedrals and could rightly be compared to Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland.
Summerset itself is one of the most visually stunning locations in all of The Elder Scrolls Online, but to visit Alinor itself you will need to download the Summerset DLC.
4 Vivec City...
- Located on Vvardenfell
- Requires the Morrowind Chapter
Vivec City, of course, was the major city in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and was given a facelift for the Morrowind DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online. The zone is far, far more complex than most players anticipate, but while they're lost players can at least enjoy the breathtaking Cantons of the city.
Look above the Temple Canton to see something a little bit odd: a meteor hovering above the city. Vivec, one of the three Living Gods, actually keeps it from destroying the city as a test of faith, though its origins are not known for certain.
3 ... And The Shrine of Azura
- Located on Vvardenfell
- Requires the Morrowind Chapter
The Shrine of Azura is a shrine to the Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn, located in Azura's Coast within the island of Vvardenfell. The shrine sticks out above the rest of the landscape, and is even visible from a decent distance.
Azura takes the same form of the shrines present in the original Morrowind and in Skyrim, where she raises both hands up to the sky: one holds a moon, the other holds a sun.
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1 The Temple of the Divines
- Located in Wayrest, the capital of the Daggerfall Covenant
- No DLC requirements
Wayrest is the capital city of the Daggerfall Covenant located in High Rock, and a place that most players will get to eventually. While the city itself has some beautiful qualities, to it, the Temple of the Divines is something every player must witness.
The temple features an incredibly beautiful, colorful stained-glass window behind the main altar table that lights the room entirely. While the outside of the temple is relatively unremarkable, the stained glass windows will leave most players in awe.
The Elder Scrolls Online is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.