Skyrim: 6 Best Dwarven Ruins, Ranked (2024)

Dwarven Ruins seem to be everywhere in Skyrim. It shows the importance of the Dwemer, their structures and designs, and how mighty they were before their mysterious disappearance. The fact that Skyrim is filled with Dwarven Ruins shows just how common the Dwemer were, and how scattered their civilization was throughout Tamriel. What once held such knowledge and power is now a place of the past, filled with deathtraps and untranslatable mysteries of eons past.

RELATED: The Longest Bethesda Games

As the Dragonborn makes their way through Skyrim, they may stumble across their fair share of Dwarven Ruins. However, with so many existing throughout Tamriel, players might be wondering what are the best Dwarven Ruins in Skyrim, and what secrets they hold that crave the attention and reward of the player that explores their dangers.

6 Irkngthand

Irkngthand may seem like any other Dwarven Ruin, especially with the camped-out Bandits sitting out front. However, this Dwarven Ruin is bound to the Blindsighted quest that is directly tied to the Thieves Guild questline in Skyrim, in which players will hunt down and stop Mercer Frey. Within the Irkngthand Dwarven Ruin, players will find the rarest treasure of all: a large statue containing the only known depiction of a Snow Elf.

The importance of this statue is not only from the expensive diamond eyes but from the fact that it was built supposedly by the Dwemer for unknown reasons. This depiction of the Snow Elf is perhaps the first time people have seen a Falmer before its mutation into a blind monster. Lore aside, Irkngthand is a great ruin, filled with traps and enemies galore.

5 Mzulft

Mzulft just proves that the Dwemer had their mysterious fingers in every pie, as this ancient Dwemer Ruin holds the secret to the Staff of Magnus, a powerful and mystical artifact used by the god Magnus. The exploration of Mzulft is tied to the College of Winterhold questline in Skyrim, where the Last Dragonborn must venture through the dangers to seek out the staff.

RELATED: Hardest Elder Scrolls Games, Ranked

Their journey is held against clashing Falmer and Dwarven Automatons, as well as a few ambushes, traps, and treasures bound to Mzulft. However, the true beauty lies within the Mzulft Oculory in the Aedrome, where players will need to solve a focusing puzzle to proceed, and marvel at the genius of the Dwarven puzzles, even if they can be a tad frustrating.

4 Mzinchaleft

An array of bandits, Flamer, and Dwarven Automatons can be found within Mzinchaleft. It’s one of the easier Dwarven ruins to clear, and players can find easy access to it simply by talking to Mjol in Riften, who will task the player with retrieving her lost sword, Grimsever from there. Strange puzzles, bandit attacks, and perplexing depths will keep players engaged within Mzinchaleft.

Like most Dwarven Ruins, the Falmer are all that is left of the once great race, lurking in the shadows and seeking out any life that they can enslave or murder for food. Players may even find themselves getting lost in Mzinchaleft, so it’s best to keep note of doors and pathways.

3 Nchuand-Zel

With a key to Nchaund-Zel handed to the player through Calcemo, players can begin their descent into the mazelike Dwarven Ruin located deep within the Understone Keep in the city of Markarth. Nchuand-Zel is famed for its dangers of Falmer and Dwemer machines, but it is also vastly rich with Dwarven materials that players can use to help them craft new Dwarven items to grow in power and wealth.

RELATED: Skyrim: Best Daedric Princes, Ranked

Nchuand-Zel sparks mysteries about the Dwemer, especially when players discover the journals of a lost expedition party from within. Players can also activate Dwemer defenses, in which they will be forced to fight Automatons. If they ever ventured to the surface of Skyrim, the residents would be in trouble.

2 Avanchnzel

Secrets of the Dwemer are well-sought after by historians, and even those vaguely curious. Players might be able to discover some ancient knowledge if they head to Riften and find From-Deepest-Fathoms, who will hand the Last Dragonborn a strange Lexicon and begin the quest Unfathomable Depths. From here, players can uncover the memories of the Dwemer within the Avanchnzel ruins.

There is a great deal of Dwarven automatons and traps lurking in Avanchnzel. Players can discover new mysteries and unanswered questions about the Dwemer, as well as a keen reward if they place the Lexicon upon the pedestal where it was found. The loot may not be great, but the intrigue only grows with Avanchnzel.

1 Blackreach

Blackreach is one of the most unique and fascinating areas in all of Skyrim. It’s a beauty to marvel at, and once that the Dwemer seems to have left unharmed. Instead of turning this area into a large Dwemer castle, Blackreach is left to grow and flourish as a glowing underground cave, with Dwemer structures built within, such as the Observatory and the well-kept Elder Scroll.

Blackreach is home to many Falmer, as well as their Nord slaves. Yet, the beauty of Blackreach is not tarnished by the malformed and cruelty of the Falmer. Players can find the rare Crimson Nirnroot in the Silent City, as well as the dragon Vulthuryol if the Last Dragonborn uses the Unrelenting Force shout on the Dwemer manufactured sun.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Elder Scrolls Game Tier List