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Resident Evil Village - Hall of Ablution statue puzzle and where to go from the Courtyard

How to solve the cryptic puzzle.

Reaching the Courtyard in Resident Evil Village is an important milestone - with two routes available helping you find two keys vital to exploring the remainder of the castle.

Before you can get the first of these keys, however, you have to solve the Hall of Ablution statue puzzle - arguably the most difficult to solve in the game so far.

For help elsewhere in the game, see our Resident Evil Village walkthrough and list of Goats of Warding locations.

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Resident Evil Village: The Digital Foundry Tech Review + PS5, Xbox Series X|S Analysis!Watch on YouTube

Where to use the Courtyard Key

Now we have the Courtyard Key from using the Sanguis Virginis in the Wine Room, head down to the first floor of the Main Hall, then go east to the Dining Room.

As you approach the Dining Room doors, you'll encounter another daughter. There's no use fighting here - back up slightly, so she advances and clears the way of the door.

Now run around and go through the door to the Dining Room. Now quickly use the Courtyard Key on the doors on the far side of the room to go outside.

Where to go from the Courtyard

There's not much to do here - there's a door to the north that's locked, requiring the Dimitrescu's Key - so you must go through the open one to the south-east.

As you enter, Lady Dimitrescu will be climbing the stairs. Follow her up to some corridors above.

As you explore, you'll hear her shout about her daughter. Don't worry - she won't show up - so you're free to keep looking around. The corridor is a dead end, but there's some resources if you smash open the cabinet with your knife.

To continue, head through the door halfway down the corridor, taking you to the Hall of Ablution.

Resident Evil Village Hall of Ablution statue puzzle solution

In the Hall of Ablution, there are four statues surrounding a pool of water. On the back wall is a plaque, with the following message:

"Women are blind to male advances, but the poor shall take their chances to give their lord their bounty sown, so that soon the wine may flow."

This is a clue on how to arrange the statues in the room - by facing them or turning them away from the others according to what the description is hinting at.

To complete the Hall of Ablution puzzle, you must position them as follows:

  • Woman in dress facing the wine pourer
  • Group statue facing the horse-rider
  • Horse-rider facing towards the wine pourer
  • Wine pourer facing the woman in dress

It will look like so from where you first entered the room:

With the Hall of Ablution statue puzzle complete, the pool will empty and the path down will open up to the Distillery.