Key takeaways
- The Four Belfries is on a hill in western Liurnia, north of the Minor Erdtree and south of Caria Manor.
- Its upper Site of Grace is called The Four Belfries; a second Site of Grace, Foot of the Four Belfries, is at the southern foot of the hill.
- Three waygates can be activated with Imbued Sword Keys The fourth belfry has no waygate and instead contains a chest with an Imbued Sword Key.
- The waygates lead to short, self-contained destinations rather than fully connected routes through those regions.
- The Chapel of Anticipation route allows a rematch with the Grafted Scion and provides access to the Stormhawk King and Stormhawk Deenh.
- The location has no merchant, smith, ordinary resident, quest-giver, dungeon boss, or conventional settlement services.
About this guide
Scope: Base game Elden Ring. Spoilers: This guide discusses the three Belfry waygates, the Grafted Scion rematch, the Chapel of Anticipation, and rewards connected with the area.
Overview
The Four Belfries is a compact but unusually important location in western Liurnia of the Lakes. It is not a conventional dungeon and does not contain a large connected underground complex. Instead, it is a steep hill crowned by four monumental belfries, three sealed waygates, a Site of Grace, and a chest containing one of the special keys required to activate those gates.
The location’s importance comes from what lies beyond its boundaries. Its waygates provide optional access to isolated sections of Crumbling Farum Azula, Nokron, Eternal City, and the Chapel of Anticipation, the game’s opening area. The Four Belfries itself is therefore best understood as a teleportation hub and viewpoint rather than as a full regional zone.
Overview and boundaries
The Four Belfries occupies the top and slopes of a single fortified-looking hill. The named location includes the ascent from the southern approach, the lower and upper Sites of Grace, the four towers, their surrounding stone platforms, the waygates, and the hostile spirit encounter near the upper structures.
It does not include the destinations reached through the waygates. Those are separate areas with their own geography, enemies, rewards and progression context. They should be treated as connected excursions rather than subareas of the Four Belfries.
The same distinction applies to the surrounding Liurnian landmarks. Caria Manor, the Minor Erdtree, nearby roads and the wider lake country are neighbouring locations, not parts of the Belfries. The Belfries is best described as a small landmark within Liurnia rather than as a broad subregion.
The hill is visually dominated by four stone towers. Three have functioning sending gates at their bases, each marked by a sign hinting at its destination. The northernmost or highest tower area contains the local Imbued Sword Key in a chest. This arrangement is the central puzzle of the location: one key is immediately available, while the remaining gates require keys found elsewhere in the Lands Between.
Named location directory
The individual towers are commonly distinguished by position or by the destination of the nearby waygate. The game’s environmental labels and guide descriptions do not always present a consistent formal numbering scheme, so players should use the signs and the destination text at each gate rather than rely only on directional names.
Named location directory
Geography and visual design
The hill rises above the western Liurnian landscape, giving the player a broad view over the surrounding terrain. The lower approach is relatively open, while the upper section narrows into terraces and stone platforms around the towers.
The belfries are decorated with hanging baldachins and reliefs depicting a bearded figure emerging from or associated with branches. The architecture is unusual even by Liurnia’s standards. It does not resemble a standard Carian academy structure, and the location’s imagery is associated by in-game environmental interpretation with the old civilisation connected to imps, catacombs and Stonesword Keys. That interpretation is suggestive rather than fully confirmed lore.
Environmental landmarks
There are no verified homes, inns, workshops, shops or ordinary domestic buildings within the location. The structures are ceremonial and functional rather than residential.
Access and routes
The Four Belfries can be reached during ordinary exploration of Liurnia. From the southern side, follow the road and slopes towards the hill, then continue upwards past the lower approach. The Foot of the Four Belfries Site of Grace is the natural first checkpoint. From there, the path climbs towards the upper structures and the main The Four Belfries Site of Grace.
The local map is compact, but the vertical layout can make the towers appear more confusing than they are. If an upper platform seems inaccessible, circle the hill rather than searching for a hidden lift. The area is designed around paths and terraces, not a large interior maze.
A practical route is
- 01Enter the hill from the southern side.
- 02Activate Foot of the Four Belfries.
- 03Ride or walk up the slope, staying alert for the spirit enemy on the upper approach.
- 04Activate The Four Belfries.
- 05Explore the tower platforms and collect the chest containing the local Imbued Sword Key.
- 06Read the signs beside each waygate before choosing where to spend the key.
- 07Return to the Belfries after each excursion if you want to unlock the remaining gates.
Sites of Grace and facilities
Foot of the Four Belfries
This Site of Grace sits at the southern foot of the hill. It is the safest checkpoint for approaching the location and is useful if the player dies while travelling up from Liurnia.
The Four Belfries
The upper Site of Grace is positioned near the main group of towers. It is the most useful checkpoint for repeatedly testing the waygates, collecting the local key, and returning from the connected excursions.
Facilities directory
The Belfries therefore functions as a travel and exploration site, not as a service settlement.
Enemies and security
The main local hostile presence is a Troll Knight spirit. It is encountered around the upper Belfry area and reflects the location’s connection with the guardian figures seen elsewhere in the game. The encounter is not a conventional boss fight and does not create a separate fog-gated arena.
The spirit’s size and weapon range make the narrow stone platforms more dangerous than the open approach. Players who fight on foot should avoid being trapped against a tower wall. Mounted attacks can be useful on the outer slopes, but the upper platforms provide less room for evasive movement.
Enemy directory
No ordinary soldiers, academy mages, wandering nobles, demi-humans, wildlife groups or field bosses are listed as standard inhabitants of the Belfries in the base-game location descriptions consulted. This should not be read as a claim that every playthrough or game version is identical in minor ambient behaviour, only that no broader local enemy roster is verified by the relevant location references.
Imbued Sword Keys
An Imbued Sword Key is a special key item used to activate the Four Belfries waygates. The local chest provides one key, while other keys must be found in separate areas.
The Four Belfries chest is the first key most players encounter at the location. It is positioned near the uppermost tower, beneath or beside the belfry without an active waygate. Collecting it does not automatically activate a gate. The player must choose one of the three sealed gates and use the key at its imp-like mechanism.
Verified base-game key sources
The four base-game keys are enough to open all three Belfry gates, with one key left over after the local chest and the three external sources are collected. The key from the Belfries itself can be spent on any of the three destinations, so there is no permanently correct first choice.
Verified base-game key sources
| Key source | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local chest | The Four Belfries | Immediately available once the upper hill is explored |
| Academy key | Raya Lucaria Academy | Found in the academy’s elevated roof area |
| Sellia key | Sellia, Town of Sorcery | Obtained after opening the relevant chest during Sellia’s flame-tower puzzle |
| Nokron key | Nokron, Eternal City | Found in the underground city |
Waygates and destinations
Each active gate has a sign describing its destination in poetic terms. The destination text is important because the gates are not labelled with straightforward modern map names.
Chapel of Anticipation: “Precipice of Anticipation”
This gate returns the player to the isolated starting area. It is the most immediately recognisable destination because it revisits the opening sequence.
The Grafted Scion rematch is optional, but it is one of the main reasons to spend a key on this gate. The Stormhawk King is associated with Nepheli Loux’s quest progression, so players following that storyline should keep the item rather than treating it as ordinary loot. Guide sources identify the Chapel route as the way to return to the game’s starting zone and obtain these rewards.
Chapel excursion walkthrough
The Chapel route is not a shortcut into a larger region. It is a return trip to the opening area with a small group of important rewards.
Crumbling Farum Azula: “Crumbling Lands”
This gate sends the player to an isolated section of Crumbling Farum Azula. It is not the normal route into the full late-game region and should not be treated as an early entrance to the complete area.
The principal reward associated with this excursion is the Pearldrake Talisman. The destination is useful because it gives an early view of Farum Azula’s architecture and lets the player collect an item from a normally inaccessible isolated section.
Crumbling Farum Azula excursion walkthrough
Because the area is suspended above the void and contains narrow surfaces, falling is a greater concern than prolonged exploration. Do not assume that every visible ruin can be reached.
Siofra River: “Night Sky Unceasing”
This gate leads to a high, isolated overlook associated with Siofra River and Nokron, Eternal City. It does not place the player in the main accessible portion of Nokron. Instead, the player reaches a detached ledge overlooking the underground city.
The Crucible Knight is the major threat of this route. The ledge and surrounding terrain give limited room for mistakes, so it is sensible to examine the arena before committing to the fight.
Siofra excursion walkthrough
This route is separate from the normal Nokron progression unlocked through the main game. It does not replace the route connected with defeating Starscourge Radahn.
Chapel excursion walkthrough
- 01Activate the waygate labelled Precipice of Anticipation.
- 02Cross the starting area towards the chapel.
- 03Enter the boss arena if the Grafted Scion remains undefeated.
- 04Defeat the Grafted Scion to receive its weapons and shield rewards.
- 05Search the chapel and nearby buildings.
- 06Collect the Stormhawk King and Stormhawk Deenh where available.
- 07Return to the waygate or use the Site of Grace and fast travel back to Liurnia.
Crumbling Farum Azula excursion walkthrough
- 01Activate the gate marked Crumbling Lands.
- 02Move carefully through the isolated ruin.
- 03Expect a limited route rather than a complete regional dungeon.
- 04Search the platforms and dead ends for the Pearldrake Talisman.
- 05Leave through the available return route or fast travel once the item has been collected.
Siofra excursion walkthrough
- 01Activate the gate marked Night Sky Unceasing.
- 02Follow the isolated ledge towards the overlook.
- 03Locate and defeat the Crucible Knight.
- 04Search the area for the Mottled Necklace.
- 05Return to the Belfries after collecting the reward.
Items and collectibles
Fixed items
The following rewards are associated with the Four Belfries or its three base-game waygate destinations:
The local area also contains ordinary gathering materials such as plants and fruit according to location references, but these are not the reason most players visit and can vary in usefulness depending on the player’s crafting needs. The verified location directory includes Erdleaf Flower, Herba and Rowa Fruit as nearby materials.
Collectible directory
The last five entries are reached through the connected excursions rather than found on the Belfry hill itself. Keeping them in a combined directory is useful for completion planning, but they should not be mistaken for items physically present within the central location.
Fixed items
| Item | Location or source | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Imbued Sword Key | Chest at The Four Belfries | Key item |
| Ornamental Straight Sword | Grafted Scion at Chapel of Anticipation | Weapon |
| Golden Beast Crest Shield | Grafted Scion at Chapel of Anticipation | Shield |
| Stormhawk King | Chapel of Anticipation | Key item |
| Stormhawk Deenh | Chapel of Anticipation | Spirit ash |
| Pearldrake Talisman | Crumbling Farum Azula excursion | Talisman |
| Mottled Necklace | Siofra River excursion | Talisman |
Collectible directory
Suggested exploration order
There are several sensible ways to use the keys.
Recommended completion route
There is no verified completion reward for opening every Belfry gate beyond the individual destination rewards. The practical benefit of full completion is access to all associated items, the Grafted Scion rematch, and the relevant quest item.
Recommended first visit
- 01Reach the Four Belfries.
- 02Activate both local Sites of Grace.
- 03Collect the chest key.
- 04Read all three destination signs.
- 05Choose the Chapel of Anticipation if you want the most narrative and quest-related rewards.
- 06Choose Crumbling Farum Azula if you want the Pearldrake Talisman.
- 07Choose Siofra River if you want the Mottled Necklace and are prepared for a Crucible Knight.
Recommended completion route: For a full base-game sweep
- 01Collect the local Imbued Sword Key.
- 02Use it on the Chapel of Anticipation gate.
- 03Defeat the Grafted Scion and collect the chapel items.
- 04Find the key in Raya Lucaria Academy.
- 05Return to the Belfries and open the Crumbling Farum Azula gate.
- 06Find the key in Sellia, Town of Sorcery.
- 07Open the Siofra River gate.
- 08Later, obtain the fourth key from Nokron if it has not already been collected.
- 09Recheck the Belfries only if a gate was skipped or a connected reward was missed.
Quests and progression
The Four Belfries is not itself a quest hub, but its Chapel route has progression significance.
The Stormhawk King is relevant to Nepheli Loux’s later storyline. The Belfries therefore becomes more important if the player is pursuing Nepheli’s quest, although the area does not contain Nepheli herself or a conversation with her. The player should avoid discarding or overlooking the key item after returning from the Chapel.
The location also represents a progression bridge between otherwise distant parts of the game. Its waygates offer glimpses of areas that may not yet be available through ordinary exploration, but they do not remove the normal requirements for entering or completing those regions.
Hazards and secrets
The Four Belfries has few hidden mechanics, but several practical hazards are easy to overlook.
Narrow platforms
The upper stone platforms provide limited room around the Troll Knight spirit and the waygates. Fighting close to an edge can turn a manageable encounter into a fall. Use the wider outer slopes when possible.
Waygate commitment
An Imbued Sword Key is consumed when used. The first local key can be spent on any destination, but players who are unsure which route to choose may want to keep it until they have read all three signs.
False expectations about the fourth tower
The presence of four belfries does not mean there are four active base-game gates. Three towers contain waygates, while the remaining tower is associated with the chest containing the local key. This is the location’s main structural trick.
Isolated destination areas
The three connected excursions are deliberately self-contained. Visible scenery may suggest that a larger area is nearby, but the player cannot use the Belfry portals to freely traverse the full connected regions. This is especially important for Crumbling Farum Azula and Nokron.
Lore and interpretation
The Four Belfries’ architecture suggests an old ceremonial or magical purpose. The towers are adorned with reliefs and canopies, while the associated guardians resemble the imposing knight figures found around other ancient structures. The location is also linked by environmental interpretation to the civilisation behind imps, catacombs and Stonesword Keys.
However, the game does not provide a direct historical account explaining who built the Belfries, who operated the gates, or whether the bells were ever rung for a particular religious or funerary purpose. Claims about a definitive builder, a named ancient dynasty or a precise connection with other bell-related entities should therefore be treated as interpretation rather than established fact.
Nearby connections
These are neighbouring or connected places, not subareas of the Four Belfries:
The first two are geographical neighbours or nearby Liurnian landmarks. The remaining entries are reached through the Belfry’s key system or provide the locations of additional Imbued Sword Keys. Keeping them separate prevents the Four Belfries from being treated as though it includes the full regions beyond its portals.
Nearby connections
Sources
- The Four Belfries | Elden Ring Wiki | Fandom — eldenring.fandom.com
- Elden Ring: How To Get Back To The Starting Area | Four Belfries Guide - Gameranx — gameranx.com
- Elden Ring Nepheli quest guide | PC Gamer — pcgamer.com