The Most Breathtaking City in Skyrim Revealed: Which One Will Leave You Awestruck?

Highlights

Skyrim's cities are praised for their well-designed hubs, packed with interesting NPCs and quests, making them stand out compared to other Bethesda games.

The diverse architectural styles of Skyrim's cities contribute to their enchanting and distinctive appeal. Markarth, with its Dwemer stonework architecture, and Whiterun, known for its inviting and warm atmosphere, are particularly revered by the community, although there is no unanimous agreement on the absolute favorite city in Skyrim.

The cities of Skyrim, though small, are widely regarded as some of the best-designed hubs in Bethesda games. There is an ongoing debate among players about which city in the Nord province stands out the most. When comparing New Atlantis from Starfield to towns in Skyrim, many players argue that places like Windhelm and Solitude possess a greater charm. One major advantage that Skyrim's hubs have is their dense population of intriguing NPCs and quests for players to engage with.

Akila City in Starfield adheres to the traditional design approach of a Bethesda city, which is why it is favored by many. However, Skyrim's design stands out in another aspect: the diversity of its urban hubs compared to its predecessor game, Oblivion. Whether it's the stone halls of Markarth or the striking resemblance of Whiterun's layout to Edoras from The Lord of the Rings, the cities in Skyrim radiate with distinctive character.

Players convened to discuss their preferred Skyrim hub in a thread initiated by Intricate1779 on the official subreddit of the game. Despite the lack of a unanimous conclusion, this reflects Bethesda's commendable efforts in bestowing each city with a distinctive visual identity. Even smaller towns like Dawnstar garnered recognition, although the modding community has diligently expanded upon the cities of Skyrim over the years, enhancing their intricacy and grandeur.

Yet, since the thread specifically prompted participants to evaluate towns based on their architecture, numerous persuasive arguments were made in favor of Markarth due to its impressive Dwemer stonework. Regrettably, the city's rampant corruption has diminished its standing within the community. Windhelm experiences a similar dilemma, as its breathtaking Nord architecture sharply contrasts with the pervasive racism pervading its streets. If cities were to be ranked based on their ambiance, the community evidently highly esteems Whiterun, as its charm and atmosphere surpass those of any other location in Skyrim.

Despite being released eleven years ago, Skyrim continues to have a dedicated player base eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The game's modding community has surpassed expectations, pushing the boundaries of Bethesda's original vision, and there is hope that the same can be achieved for the upcoming Starfield. Fans hold high hopes for the future cities in the next Elder Scrolls province, aspiring for them to surpass those in Skyrim, although accomplishing this feat proves to be a challenge. Skyrim, the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls series, is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.