Elden Ring: Dragon Shrine Locations & Interactive Tracking Guide

In Elden Ring, the Dragon Shrines—formally known as the Churches and Cathedrals of Dragon Communion—are essential for any build centered on draconic power, and they serve as the primary altars where Dragon Hearts are traded for high-tier incantations.

These locations allow you to unlock devastating breath attacks and physical transformations that allow you to channel the raw strength of the Great Drakes.

The Lands Between: Foundational Shrines

There are two primary locations in the overworld where you can perform the Ritual of Dragon Communion. Each offers an expanded inventory based on the dragons you have slain:

• Church of Dragon Communion (Limgrave): Located on an island off the southwestern coast. To reach it, you must navigate the Coastal Cave and exit through the tunnel behind the Demi-Human Chief boss room. This is the requirement for early-game spells like Dragonfire and Dragonclaw.
• Cathedral of Dragon Communion (Caelid): Situated in the southwestern corner of the rot-infested Caelid region. This shrine is the access point for advanced "Named" incantations, such as Ekzykes’s Decay and Rotten Breath. Note that a Banished Knight guards the altar; defeating him is the only way to safely use this site.

Shadow of the Erdtree: The Grand Altar

The Realm of Shadow introduces the most vertical and lore-dense dragon shrine in the game's history.

• Grand Altar of Dragon Communion (Jagged Peak): Located south of the Dragon's Pit Terminus. You must defeat the Ancient Dragon-Man and travel through the Jagged Peak region to reach the corpse of a massive ancient dragon.
• The Priestess Quest: This altar is the hub for the Dragon Communion Priestess questline. It is the traditional source for the Priestess Heart, which allows you to transform your human form into an Ancient Dragon.

2026 Nightreign: Limveld & The Forsaken Hollows

In the 2026 Nightreign standalone experience, "Dragon Shrines" are replaced by dynamic reward hubs within the Limveld region and the Great Hollow.

• Great Churches (Limveld): These are the locations for refilling Flask charges and securing Sacred Flask upgrades. In the current version, the Great Church in the east of the Forsaken Hollows map is a requirement for players running "Sleep" builds, as it spawns near Giant Sleep Crabs and Abductor Virgins.
• Temples (Divine Towers): In the 2026 The Forsaken Hollows DLC, these structures at the corners of the Great Hollow act as "Boss Rushes." Defeating the three levels of bosses within a Temple is required for obtaining Dormant Powers, which work as the 2026 equivalent of high-tier Dragon Heart rewards.
• The Great Crystal: Shattering the four Resonating Crystals in Limveld allows access to the center of the map. This is the best approach for obtaining the Favor of the Great Hollow, a buff that negates the region's lethal crystal curse.

In 2026, you should always visit the Cathedral of Dragon Communion at night. The Banished Knight guarding the altar has a high drop rate for the Banished Knight Set, which is a high-quality asset for mid-game poise.

For those exploring the Nightreign Castle, using the Spectral Hawk Tree network to scout for "Nightglow" altars is a great strategy, as these altars provide the only method for cleansing the "Crystal Curse" without the Favor of the Great Hollow, helping your team stay at full HP for the Heolstor the Nightlord encounter.

To help you hunt every drake and claim every heart, we have pinned every altar and spawn point on our interactive Elden Ring game maps.